Etymograph

English

spur

Spur comes from Proto-Indo-European *sperH- ‘to kick’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sperH-‘to kick’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*spurôreconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*spurōreconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150spora
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500spure
  6. Englishearliest quotation c. 1593spur

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sperH-‘to kick’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*spurôreconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*spurōreconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150spora
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500spure
  6. Englishearliest quotation c. 1593spur

Earliest quotation: c. 1593, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]: “Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head! Spur…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *sperH- ‘to kick’

sphere, spear, spoor, 10 more

Today it means

noun A rigid implement, often roughly y-shaped, that is fixed to one's heel for the purpose of prodding a horse. Often worn by, and emblematic of, the cowboy or the knight.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sperH- / spur

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