Where does “backwards compatibility” come from?
backwards compatibility (English) comes from English compatibility, from English compatible, from Middle English compatible, from Anglo-Norman compatible, from Medieval Latin compatibilis, from Late Latin compator, from Latin com-, from Latin con- — whale, sea monster; abyss.
Ancestry of “backwards compatibility”, step by step
backwards compatibility traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English compatibility
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | compatibility | The state of being compatible; in which two or... |
| 2 | English | compatible | Capable of easy interaction; Able to get along... |
| 3 | Middle English | compatible | compatible; reconcilable |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | compatible | — |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | compatibilis | in "compatible beneficium", a benefice which... |
| 6 | Late Latin | compator | — |
| 7 | Latin | com- | allomorph of con- |
| 8 | Latin | con- | Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing... |
| 9 | Latin | cum | with, along with; at; -fold |
| 10 | Old Latin | com | Alternative form of cum |
| 11 | Proto-Italic | kom | with, along, at |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱóm | beside, near, by, with |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱe | Deictic particle, here; Post-positional... |
| 14 | Middle English | kyt | — |
| 15 | Russian | кит | whale; genitive plural of ки́та |
| 16 | Old Church Slavonic | китъ | whale |
| 17 | Ancient Greek | κῆτος | whale, sea monster; abyss |
via English backwards
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | backwards | Oriented toward the back; Reversed; Behind... |
| 2 | English | -s | Used to form regular plurals of nouns; Used to... |
| 3 | English | ’s | — |
| 4 | English | Kingstown | OS grid ref NY3959 |
| 5 | English | town | A settlement; an area with residential districts,... |
| 6 | Middle English | toun | town |
| 7 | Middle English | ende | The end or finishing of a thing; the terminal... |
| 8 | Old English | ende | end, limit, border, corner |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |