hound's tongue

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromκυνόγλωσσον
2. Latin · derived fromcynoglossos
3. Old English · inherited fromhundes tunge“hound’s tongue (cynoglossum officinale)”
4. Middle English · inherited fromhoundestonge
5. English todayhound's tongue

From Middle English houndestonge, from Old English hundes tunge (“hound’s tongue (cynoglossum officinale)”), a calque of Latin cynoglossos, itself from Ancient Greek κυνόγλωσσον (kunóglōsson, literally “hound’s tongue”). Compare Dutch hondstong, German Hundszunge.