bison

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*wisundaz“wild ox, aurochs”
2. Latin · derived frombisōn, bisōnt-“wild ox”
3. Middle French · derived frombison
4. Middle English · inherited frombysontes
5. English todaybison

From Middle English bysontes, bysountes pl, from Middle French bison, from Latin bisōn, bisōnt- (“wild ox”). The Latin term is recorded in the 1st century, likely a direct loan from Proto-Germanic *wisundaz (“wild ox, aurochs”) (see for full etymology). Akin to Old High German wisunt (“bison”), German Wisent (“bison”), Old English wesend, wusend (“bison, buffalo, wild ox”), Middle Dutch wēsent (“wild ox”). Doublet of wisent.