In earlier times, the much more common name for this animal was 'ass', with variations of that word occurring in numerous related languages (as in Old English assa, or Latin asinus). 'Ass' is therefore thought to be an extremely old word indeed, though its ultimate origins are unknown.
By comparison, 'donkey' is a much more recent coinage, first recorded in 1785. We might expect, then, to have some account of the roots of the word, but in fact its origins are mysterious. Various theories have been proposed: the name might come from the colour dun (grey-brown, as incidentally in Dunland), or from the personal name Duncan, or even from a (rather questionable) imitation of the sound made by donkeys. Ultimately the origin of the word 'donkey' is as unknown as that of the much more ancient 'ass'.
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