Where did the word Rabbit originate from?

The word "rabbit" comes from the Middle English word "robett" or "rabet" which originally referred to the young of the species. Later, the word came to be used to refer to the adult animal as well. The origin of the Middle English word is uncertain, but it is thought to have been derived from an Old French word "rabet" or "lapin" which meant "young rabbit" or "hare". Ultimately, the word may have come from a Germanic language, as there are similar words in Old High German ("rappa") and Old Norse ("hrabi").









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