Grasmere

Dear Luisma,

Grasmere, a natural lake and village in Cumbria, has nothing to do with grass.

In 1254 it was Gressemer, in 1246, Gresemere, but in 1203 it was Ceresmere.

So, sometime in the 13th century, the name was altered through a folk etymological association with grass.

Now, -mere is certainly an Old English word for "lake". But what of ceres-?

I say this is Dene-Caucasian, and means "holly". Compare Basque gorosti and garratz. And there is also geretxu, which is a plant of some sort.

gorosti is found in Coristanco, Galicia, and garratz in Garris, Low Navarre (Roman Carasa).

With best wishes,

Angus J Huck