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Today it means

rabbit

a small burrowing mammal with long ears

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Where does the word "rabbit" come from? It comes from Walloon robète, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

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Where does the word "rabbit" come from? It comes from Walloon robète, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Rabbit’s story begins in Walloon: robète meant “young rabbit.” A dialect word of the Low Countries, possibly from Middle Dutch 'robbe'; Flemish weavers and traders brought it to England. It reached English by 1300s as rabbit. First used only for the young; adults were 'coneys' until the 1700s. Today, rabbit means a small burrowing mammal with long ears.

  1. Stage 1 · Walloon · medieval robète "young rabbit", a dialect word of the Low Countries, possibly from Middle Dutch 'robbe'; Flemish weavers and traders brought it to England.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s rabbit "young rabbit", first used only for the young; adults were 'coneys' until the 1700s.

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