Where does “aerotow” come from?

aerotow (English) comes from English tow, from Middle English towen, from Old English togian, from Proto-Germanic tugōną, from Proto-Indo-European dewk- — to pull, to draw; to lead.

aerotow (English): The launching of a glider by towing it behind a powered aircraft

Definitions

  1. The launching of a glider by towing it behind a powered aircraft

Ancestry of “aerotow”, step by step

aerotow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English tow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtowTo pull something behind one using a line or...
2Middle Englishtowen—
3Old Englishtogianto tow
4Proto-Germanictugōnąto pull, tow
5Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead

via English aero

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishaeroOf or pertaining to aviation; Aerodynamic; having...
2Englishaero-air or aircraft
3Ancient Greekἀέροςgenitive singular of ἀήρ; air
4Ancient Greekἀήρmist; air; wind
5Ancient Greekauhḗr—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic tugōną →Every word from Old English togian →