Dorr
/dɔːr/noun
A large, loud-buzzing beetle, especially a cockchafer or dung beetle.
Did you know?The word’s ancestry is uncertain, but historical dictionaries connect dorr with the beetle’s deep droning sound, making it a rare example of a name possibly born from insect noise itself.
Etymological Timeline
Early Germanic
Germanic
*durzō
“A reconstructed Germanic form associated with the dorr or a buzzing beetle; its ultimate origin is uncertain.”
Old English
Old English
dora
“A beetle, especially a cockchafer; the word was also connected with a humming or droning insect.”
Middle English
Middle English
dor
“A large beetle, commonly one noted for its loud flight.”
16th Century
English
dorr
“A beetle producing a strong, droning buzz; spelling with doubled r became established.”
Modern English
English
dorr
“A large buzzing beetle, particularly a cockchafer or dung beetle.”