I’ve already done a post on the etymology of the names of
bugs—several of them,
actually—but there are still a few I missed. Might as well look at them now!
Beetle
Beetle the bug comes from the Old English bitela, which comes from bite. Seriously. There’s actually a different use of beetle which means overhang, originating in Hamlet of all things, and it’s also from bite. But there’s yet a third meaning a heavy hammering instrument, and that’s not related to the others at all! Although it did possibly influence their spelling.
Hornet
This one comes from the Old English hyrnet/hurnitu, which was a large flying insect in general rather than a specific species. It’s thought to be from the Proto Germanic hurz-nut-, which is supposed to be imitative of buzzing. Somehow. But one thing you can be sure of: it’s not related to horn at all.
Butterfly
From the Old English buttorfleoge, this word is apparently really just a mix of butter and fly. Why? Possibly because butterflies were once thought to consume butter or milk left uncovered, or (more likely, in my opinion) because several species were colors similar to butter.
Moth
Moths—which are apparently butterflies that come out at night—comes from the Old English moþþe, which is of course just moth. It’s Germanic somehow, and several other Germanic languages have versions of it, but it’s origin before that is unknown.
Cicada
Finally today, the noisiest bugs that aren’t crickets. The word cicada showed up in the late fourteenth century, from the classical Latin cicada, which means cricket, and that makes sense since they’re almost as annoying as crickets. It’s origin before that is a mystery, but it’s known that whatever it is, cicada not a native Latin word. And… somehow, that’s all.
Beetle the bug comes from the Old English bitela, which comes from bite. Seriously. There’s actually a different use of beetle which means overhang, originating in Hamlet of all things, and it’s also from bite. But there’s yet a third meaning a heavy hammering instrument, and that’s not related to the others at all! Although it did possibly influence their spelling.
This one comes from the Old English hyrnet/hurnitu, which was a large flying insect in general rather than a specific species. It’s thought to be from the Proto Germanic hurz-nut-, which is supposed to be imitative of buzzing. Somehow. But one thing you can be sure of: it’s not related to horn at all.
From the Old English buttorfleoge, this word is apparently really just a mix of butter and fly. Why? Possibly because butterflies were once thought to consume butter or milk left uncovered, or (more likely, in my opinion) because several species were colors similar to butter.
Moths—which are apparently butterflies that come out at night—comes from the Old English moþþe, which is of course just moth. It’s Germanic somehow, and several other Germanic languages have versions of it, but it’s origin before that is unknown.
Finally today, the noisiest bugs that aren’t crickets. The word cicada showed up in the late fourteenth century, from the classical Latin cicada, which means cricket, and that makes sense since they’re almost as annoying as crickets. It’s origin before that is a mystery, but it’s known that whatever it is, cicada not a native Latin word. And… somehow, that’s all.
Online Etymology Dictionary
Google Translate
Omniglot
Dictionary.com
University of Texas at Austin Linguistic Research Center
Tony Jebson’s page on the Origins of Old English
Old English-English Dictionary
Are cicadas found all over the world? They are far noisier than crickets, but their noise isn't as annoying. (At least the variety we get here.)
ReplyDeleteI don't find crickets annoying.
ReplyDeleteA beetle was a heavy hammering instrument, and the Beatles played hammering instruments... A coincidence?
ReplyDelete