Where does “Debategate” come from?

Debategate (English) comes from English debate, from French débat, from German Debatte, from French débattre, from Middle French debatre, from Old French debatre, from Latin dis-, from Latin calceus — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

Debategate (English): A 1980s political scandal affecting the administration of Ronald Reagan, where Reagan's team somehow acquired President Jimmy Carter's briefing papers for a debate with Reagan

Definitions

  1. A 1980s political scandal affecting the administration of Ronald Reagan, where Reagan's team somehow acquired President Jimmy Carter's briefing papers for a debate with Reagan

Ancestry of “Debategate”, step by step

Debategate traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English debate

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdebateAn argument, or discussion, usually in an ordered...
2Frenchdébatdebate
3GermanDebattedebate
4Frenchdébattreto negotiate; to discuss, debate; to struggle
5Middle Frenchdebatre
6Old Frenchdebatreto fight, contend, debate, also literarlly to...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

via English gate

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgateA doorlike structure outside a house; Doorway,...
2Middle EnglishgateAn entryway or entrance to a settlement or...
3Old Englishġeatgate; a gate, door
4Old Frenchgautforest, woods, woodland
5Proto-West Germanicwalþuforest
6Proto-Germanicwalþuzforest
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwel-to see
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ
Debategate — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer