rabbit
UK[ˈræbɪt]US[ˈræbɪt]
n
A small furry animal with long ears and a short tail, that lives in a hole in the ground
n
The fur or meat of this animal
Etymology
The word 'rabbit' entered English in the late 14th century, originally referring only to the young of the species. It was borrowed from the Walloon 'robett', a diminutive form. The adult animal was at that time called a 'coney'. Over time, 'rabbit' generalized to cover the animal at all ages, while 'coney' became archaic. The Walloon term itself may trace back to a Low German or Dutch root meaning "to scrape" or "to rob," alluding to the creature's digging behavior, though this etymological path is not definitively proven. The word's journey illustrates how a specific term for the young of an animal can evolve to become the standard name for the species itself.
Analysis
The word 'rabbit' is a simplex word. It is a loanword from the Walloon language (a Romance language of Belgium), where 'robett' was a term for a young rabbit. Its ultimate origin is unclear but may be connected to a Germanic root for "to rob" due to the animal's burrowing habit, though this is speculative.
Examples
The children were delighted to see a rabbit hopping across the garden.
She wore a coat trimmed with rabbit fur.
He went out to hunt rabbits in the field.