Where does “filmmaker” come from?

filmmaker (Dutch) comes from Dutch film, from English Film, from Russian фильм, from English film, from Middle English filme, from Old English filmen, from Proto-West Germanic *filmīn-, from Proto-Germanic *filmīn-.

filmmaker (Dutch): filmmaker

Definitions

  1. filmmaker

Ancestry of “filmmaker”, step by step

filmmaker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch film

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchfilmfilm, movie
2EnglishFilmA thin layer of some substance; a pellicle; a membranous covering, causing opacity
3Russianфильмfilm, movie
4EnglishfilmA thin layer of some substance; a pellicle; a...
5Middle Englishfilmefilm, membrane
6Old Englishfilmenmembrane; caul; foreskin
7Proto-West Germanic*filmīn-
8Proto-Germanic*filmīn-

via Dutch maker

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchmakermaker person or thing that makes, produces or repairs something
2Dutchmakento make; to fix, to repair, to mend; to take
3Middle Dutchmākento make
4Old Dutchmacōnto make, do
5Proto-West Germanicmakōnto build, work, make
6Proto-Germanicmakazfit, suitable, agreeable, comfortable
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmaǵ-to oil, knead; to knead, oil
Every word from Proto-Germanic *filmīn-