English
groundbait
From ground + bait.
Proto-Indo-European *gʰrem- ‘floor, settlement’
Proto-Germanic *grunduz ‘ground, foundation’
Proto-West Germanic *grundu
Old English grund
Middle English ground
English ground
Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- ‘to cleave, split, separate’
…
Proto-Germanic *bītaną ‘to bite’
Proto-Germanic *baitijaną ‘to make bite’
Old Norse beita ‘food, bait’
Middle English bayte ‘Bait or lure’
English bait
Today it means
noun Fishing bait that is cast into the water, rather than secured to a hook, in order to attract fish to the fishing area. It is often used in coarse fishing.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / groundbait