sparerib

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*ribją
2. Old Saxon · derived fromribbi
3. Middle Low German · derived fromribbespêr“spare-ribs”
4. Low German · borrowed fromribbesper
5. English todaysparerib

Probably borrowed from Low German ribbesper, from Middle Low German ribbespêr (“spare-ribs”), from ribbe (“rib”) + sper (“spear; spit”), from Old Saxon ribbi + sper, from Proto-Germanic *ribją + *speru. The word was transposed, with the first element becoming confused with English spare due to folk-etymology. Compare also English ribspare (rare, modern uses dialectal).

Words from the same roots