snake etymology

Etymology:

• Old English snaca
• Proto-Germanic *snakô
• Proto-Indo-European *sneh₂ǵ-

Meaning:

• A limbless, legless reptile with a long, cylindrical body

Origin:

The word "snake" has a complex etymological history that spans several Indo-European languages:

• Proto-Indo-European: The Proto-Indo-European root *sneh₂ǵ- likely meant "to creep" or "to crawl," suggesting that snakes were originally named after their characteristic mode of locomotion.
• Proto-Germanic: In Proto-Germanic, the root evolved into snakô, which then gave rise to the Old English word *snaca.
• Old English: In Old English, snaca was the common word for snake. It could refer to venomous species (such as adders) or non-venomous snakes (such as grass snakes).
• Middle English: In Middle English, the word evolved into "snake," which has remained the standard English word for the reptile ever since.

Related Words:

• Sneak: A verb meaning "to move stealthily or furtively" is cognate with "snake," as it is derived from the same Proto-Indo-European root *sneh₂ǵ-.
• Snakebite: A bite inflicted by a snake.
• Ophiology: The scientific study of snakes. Derived from the Greek word óphis ("snake").

snake relate terms

• adder

  Etymology Old English æddre from Proto Germanic addri from Proto Indo European h₂

• apron

  Etymology Middle English napron from Old French naperon napron diminutive of nape

• auger

  Etymology The word auger originates from the Old French word augier or augor whic

• nickname

  Etymology The word nickname is derived from the Middle English phrase an eke name wh

• orange

  Etymology Late Middle English as an adjective from Old French orenge from orenge f

• aitchbone

  Etymology h is an apocope of the aitch is a variant of haunch from the Old Eng

• umpire

  Etymology The word umpire has its origins in Old French where it was spelled oumpere

• serpent

  Etymology The word serpent comes from the Latin word serpens which means creeping a

• milk snake

  Etymology The scientific name for milk snakes is Lampropeltis triangulum Lampropeltis

• snail

  Etymology The word snail is derived from the Old English word snægl which may have

• sneak

  Etymology of Sneak The word sneak originates from the Middle English term sneke wh

• echidna

  Etymology The word echidna comes from the Ancient Greek word ἐχῖδνα ekhídna

• racer

  Etymology The word racer originates from the Old French word raceur or racier whi

• serpentine

  Etymology The word serpentine comes from the Latin word serpens which means serpen

• cobra

  Etymology The word cobra comes from the Portuguese word cobra which in turn is deriv

• wind

  Etymology of Wind The English word wind originates from the Old English word wind

• Oregon

  Origin The name Oregon comes from the Algonquian word Ouragon meaning beautiful wa