English

limetwig

Limetwig comes from Middle English lime-twig.

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

Formed from lime + twig

Proto-Indo-European *h₂leyH- ‘to smear’

Proto-Germanic *līmaz ‘glue, lime’

Proto-West Germanic *līm ‘glue’

Old English līm ‘glue’

Middle English lyme ‘organ, body part’

English lime

Proto-West Germanic *twiggu ‘small twig, shoot’

Old English twigg

Middle English twig

English twig

Every English word from Middle English lime-twig

noun A twig smeared with birdlime, used to catch or snare birds

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