squirrel

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromσκίουρος“shadow-tail”
2. Latin · derived fromsciūrus
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*scūriolus
4. Old French · derived fromescurel
5. Anglo-Norman · derived fromesquirel
6. Middle English · inherited fromsquirel
7. English todaysquirrel

From Middle English squirel, squyrelle, from Anglo-Norman esquirel and Old French escurel (whence French écureuil), from Vulgar Latin *scūriolus, diminutive of *scūrius, variant of Latin sciūrus, from Ancient Greek σκίουρος (skíouros, “shadow-tail”, from σκιά (skiá, “shadow”) + οὐρά (ourá, “tail”)). Displaced native Middle English acquerne, aquerne, from Old English ācweorna. See dialectical English con and puristic English oakwern.

Words from the same roots