trebuchet

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰōw-“to blow, swell”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*būkaz“belly, abdomen, trunk”
3. Frankish · derived from*būk“belly, trunk, torso”
4. Old French · derived frombuc“trunk of the body”
5. Old French · derived fromtrebuchet
6. English todaytrebuchet

From Old French trebuchet, trebuket et al. (modern trébuchet), from trebuchier (“to overthrow, topple”), from tres- + *buchier, from Old French buc (“trunk of the body”), from Old Frankish *būk (“belly, trunk, torso”), from Proto-Germanic *būkaz (“belly, abdomen, trunk”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰōw- (“to blow, swell”). Cognate with Old High German būh (“belly”), Old English būc (“belly, trunk”). More at bouk.

Words from the same roots