938: peregine and pilgrim Jul 4, 2017

The word 'peregrinate' meaning 'to wander' as well as the word 'peregrine (falcon)' both come from the same root; unsurprising perhaps since they look and sound so similar. The two terms entered Middle English directly from the Latin 'peregrinus' meaning foreign, traveling', ultimately from the elements 'per-' ('through') and 'ager' (field). For 'peregrine' this name was not given to the free wanderings of the bird, or else a lot more might have had this name, but instead because unlike many other birds captured in the nest when very young, peregrine falcons were captured while flying. Nevertheless, for a very long time this word tended to denote foreignness just as much as traveling, which led to the word 'pilgrim' in English as well, though via Provençal first.