Where does “airplay” come from?

Airplay derives from air, which comes from Middle English pleȝen, Anglo-Norman eir, and Latin heres, ultimately tracing to Latin placere meaning to please or be acceptable.

airplay (English): The playing of a particular song, band or genre...

Definitions

  1. The playing of a particular song, band or genre...

Ancestry of “airplay”, step by step

airplay traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English play

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishplayTo act in a manner such that one has fun; to...
2Middle EnglishpleyeHappiness, mirth, jolliness, or gaiety; Fun,...
3Old Englishpleġaexercise
4Proto-West Germanicplegōcare; an exercise; a game
5Proto-West Germanic-ōCreates adverbs from adjectives; Creates agent...
6Proto-Germanic-ô-ly; Forms agent nouns, often from the zero-grade...
7Proto-Indo-European-ōDerives nouns from roots

via English aïr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishaïr—
2Middle Englishaireair
3Old Frenchairair mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere
4Latināērair
5Ancient Greekἀήρmist; air; wind
6Ancient Greekauhḗr—

Words derived from “airplay”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ō →Every word from Proto-Germanic -ô →Every word from Proto-West Germanic -ō →