Where does “gaydar” come from?
gaydar (Dutch) comes from English gaydar, from English RADAR, from English ranging, from English range, from Middle English rengen, from Old French rengier, from Old French reng, from Latin rencus — to set in order.
gaydar (Dutch): gaydar
Ancestry of “gaydar”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | gaydar | The supposed ability to detect whether or not a... |
| 2 | English | RADAR | Acronym of radio detection and ranging |
| 3 | English | ranging | present participle of range; Act of one who... |
| 4 | English | range | A line or series of mountains, buildings, etc; A... |
| 5 | Middle English | rengen | — |
| 6 | Old French | rengier | to line up; to form ranks |
| 7 | Old French | reng | place; position |
| 8 | Latin | rencus | row; order, rank |
| 9 | Gaulish | rekos | — |
| 10 | Proto-Celtic | reketi | to arrange |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | (H)rek- | to set in order |