Where does “skateboard” come from?

skateboard (American English) comes from English board, from English boardrider, from English rider, from Middle English ridere, from Middle English ryder, from Old English rīdere, from Old English rīdan, from Proto-West Germanic rīdan — to fit, to fix, to put together.

skateboard (American English): A narrow, wooden or plastic platform mounted on...

Definitions

  1. A narrow, wooden or plastic platform mounted on...

Ancestry of “skateboard”, step by step

skateboard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English board

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishboardA relatively long, wide and thin piece of any...
2Englishboardridersurfer
3EnglishriderOne who rides, often on a horse or a motorcycle;...
4Middle EnglishridereAlternative form of ryder
5Middle EnglishryderA rider or equestrian; one who rides a horse; A...
6Old Englishrīdererider, knight
7Old Englishrīdanto ride
8Proto-West Germanicrīdanto ride
9Proto-Germanicrīdanąto ride
10Proto-Indo-Europeanrēydʰ-
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

via English skate

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishskateA runner or blade, usually of steel, with a frame...
2Dutchschaatsskate, ice skate; stilt
3Middle Dutchschāetsestilt
4Old Frenchescachea stilt, trestle
5Frankishskakkjastilt
6Old Saxonskakan
7Proto-Germanicskakanąto swing; to shake; to escape
8Proto-Indo-Europeanskeg-to jump, spring; to jump; move
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er-Every word from Proto-Indo-European rēydʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic rīdaną