Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Tinseltown” come from?

Tinseltown (English) comes from English tinsel, from Navajo -TIN, from Proto-Athabaskan tən, from Persian تن, from English ton, from French ton, from Old French ton, from Latin tuus — power.

Tinseltown (English): A Christmas-themed district of a city, or a...

Definitions

  1. A Christmas-themed district of a city, or a...

Ancestry of “Tinseltown”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtinselA shining material used for ornamental purposes;...
2Navajo-TIN—
3Proto-Athabaskantənice, frost
4Persianتنbody; person; tonne
5EnglishtonA unit of weight equal to 2240 pounds or 2000...
6FrenchtonYour, thy; Tone; Tone, shade
7Old Frenchtonyour
8Latintuusyour
9Russianтузace; bigwig; two-oar dinghy
10Polishtuzace; luminary, person of importance in their...
11Polishtuhere
12Polishbyćto be
13Polishmócto be able; may, might; to be allowed
14Old Polishmóc—
15Proto-Slavicmoťьpower
Every word from Proto-Slavic moťь →