- spray (v.)
- "sprinkle liquid in drops," 1520s, from Middle Dutch sprayen, from Proto-Germanic *spræwjanan (cf. German sprühen "to sparkle, drizzle," Spreu "chaff," literally "that which flies about"), from PIE root *sper- "to sow, scatter" (see sprout). The noun is attested from 1620s. Spray-painting is from 1902; spray-paint (v.) is from 1928.
- spray (n.)
- "small branch," c.1300, possibly related to Old English spræc "shoot, twig" (see sprig).