English

lancehead

From lance + head.

A compound of lance + head

Latin lancea ‘The Roman auxiliaries' short javelin’

Old French lance ‘lance (weapon)’

Middle English launce ‘a lance (long spear)’

English lance

Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘head’

…

Proto-Germanic *haubudą ‘head’

Proto-West Germanic *haubud

Old English hēafod ‘head’

Middle English heed ‘head’

English head

Today it means

noun Any of many South American venomous pitvipers of the genus Bothrops.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / lancehead