Stubble
/ˈstʌb.əl/noun
Short stalks of grain or other plants that remain after the crop has been harvested.
Did you know?In medieval times, stubble was often associated with the spirits of crops, believed to hold the essence of the harvest and bewitch the land for future growth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steb(h)-
“to stick, to stab, to pierce.”
Old English
Old English
stubb
“a stump, or short stalk of a plant.”
Middle English
Middle English
stobble
“the short remnants of plants after cutting.”
15th Century
Middle English
stobblen
“to cut off, to leave stubbly remains.”
Modern English
English
stubble
“the short stalks left after harvesting crops.”