Etymology
1. c.1300, from O.Fr.
trot (12c.), from
troter "to trot, to go," from Frankish
*trotton (cf. O.H.G.
trotton "to tread"), from a variant of the Gmc. base of tread (q.v.). The verb is attested in Eng. from 1362. It.
trottare, Sp.
trotar also are borrowed from Gmc. To
trot (something) out originally (1838) was in ref. to horses; fig. sense of "produce and display for admiration" is slang first recorded 1845.
Trotter "foot of a quadruped" is first recorded 1522.
The trots "diarrhea" is recorded from 1808 (cf.
the runs).
2. From Middle English trotten, from Old French trotter, troter (“to go, trot”), from Medieval Latin *trottō, *trotō (“to go”), from Frankish *trottōn (“to go, run”), from Proto-Germanic *trudōną, *trudaną, *tradjaną (“to go, step, tread”), from Proto-Indo-European *dreh₂- (“to run, escape”). Cognate with Old High German trottōn (“to run”), Modern German trotten (“to trot, plod”), Gothic 𐍄𐍂𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌽 (trudan, “to tread”), Old Norse troða (“to walk, tread”), Old English tredan (“to step, tread”). Doublet of trade and tread. See: German, old spelling '
trotten', Old English '
tredan'.
Verbs referencing "trot"
French
trotter, Spanish
trotar, German, old spelling
trotten, Maltese
ttrottja.