Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “astride” come from?

Astride comes from English a (prefix) and English stride, where stride derives from Latin ad- and Latin ad (meaning "to"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂epo and Proto-Indo-European al-.

astride (English): With one’s legs on either side; With one’s legs...

Definitions

  1. With one’s legs on either side; With one’s legs...

Ancestry of “astride”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishā-—
2Old Englishġe-—
3Proto-West Germanicga-used as an intensifier for verbs, indicating...
4Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
7Middle Englishkyt—
8Germankitt—
9Old High Germankuti—
10Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
11Proto-Germanickweduzresin
12Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
13Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →