Where does “basswork” come from?

basswork (English) comes from English bass, from Middle English bace, from Middle English bars, from Old English bærs, from Proto-West Germanic bars, from Proto-Germanic barsaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰórsos, from Proto-Indo-European bʰers- — top, tip, point.

basswork (English): The playing of the bass

Definitions

  1. The playing of the bass

Ancestry of “basswork”, step by step

basswork traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English bass

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbassOf sound, a voice or an instrument, low in pitch...
2Middle Englishbacebass; Alternative form of bas; Alternative form...
3Middle EnglishbarsAlternative form of bace
4Old Englishbærsa fish, perch
5Proto-West Germanicbarsperch
6Proto-Germanicbarsazperch
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰórsosprickle, thorn, scale; pointy, prickly
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰers-top, tip, point

via English work

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwork"Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to...
2Middle Englishwerkwork
3Old Englishweorcwork, in various senses, including
4Proto-West Germanicwerkwork
5Proto-Germanicwerkąwork
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwérǵomwork
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵ-to make
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰers-Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰórsosEvery word from Proto-Germanic barsaz