Where does “Fleet” come from?
Fleet derives from Middle English flete and flet, from Old English flēot, continuing Proto-Indo-European plad-, plāk-, pelh₂-, and pel-.
Ancestry of “Fleet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | flete | A fleet; a collection or grouping of vessels; A... |
| 2 | Old English | flēot | ship; bay; fleet |
| 3 | Frankish | flotōn | to float, swim |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | flutōną | to float; drift |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | plewd- | to fly, flow, run |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | plew- | to fly, flow, run |