ambush

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*buskaz“bush, heavy stick”
2. Frankish · derived from*busk“bush”
3. Vulgar Latin · derived fromboscus“wood”
4. Old French · derived fromen-
5. Old French · derived fromenbuscier
6. Middle English · inherited fromenbuschen
7. English todayambush

From Middle English enbuschen, from Old French enbuscier, anbuchier (verb) (whence Middle French embusche (noun)), from Old French en- + Vulgar Latin boscus (“wood”) (whence also bouquet), from Frankish *busk (“bush”), from Proto-Germanic *buskaz (“bush, heavy stick”). Compare ambuscade. The change to am- from earlier forms in en- is unexplained. More at bush.

Words from the same roots