Where does “billboard” come from?
billboard (English) comes from English board, from English boardrider, from English rider, from Middle English ridere, from Middle English ryder, from Old English rīdere, from Old English rīdan, from Proto-West Germanic rīdan — to fit, to fix, to put together.
billboard (English): A very large outdoor sign, generally used for...
Definitions
- A very large outdoor sign, generally used for...
Ancestry of “billboard”, step by step
billboard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English board
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | board | A relatively long, wide and thin piece of any... |
| 2 | English | boardrider | surfer |
| 3 | English | rider | One who rides, often on a horse or a motorcycle;... |
| 4 | Middle English | ridere | Alternative form of ryder |
| 5 | Middle English | ryder | A rider or equestrian; one who rides a horse; A... |
| 6 | Old English | rīdere | rider, knight |
| 7 | Old English | rīdan | to ride |
| 8 | Proto-West Germanic | rīdan | to ride |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | rīdaną | to ride |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | rēydʰ- | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |
via English Bill
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Bill | A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill" |
| 2 | Middle English | bill | — |
| 3 | Old English | bil | a kind of sword or other bladed weapon,... |
| 4 | Frankish | billi | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bilją | a cutting implement; blade; axe; sword; spike;... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | harjaz | army; army leader; commander; warrior |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kóryos | war; troops; army; war, troops |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |