Where does “boatlift” come from?

boatlift (English) comes from English lift, from Middle English lifte, from Old English lyft, from Proto-West Germanic luftu, from Proto-Germanic luftuz, from Proto-Indo-European lewp-, from Proto-Indo-European lew- — dirt, mud; to cut, remove, prune, separate; to...

boatlift (English): The transportation of a large number of people...

Definitions

  1. The transportation of a large number of people...

Ancestry of “boatlift”, step by step

boatlift traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English lift

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishliftTo raise or rise; To steal; To source directly...
2Middle Englishlifte
3Old Englishlyftair, atmosphere; the sky
4Proto-West Germaniclufturoof; air
5Proto-Germanicluftuzroof; roof of the earth, firmament; heavens, sky;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewp-peel, break off; to flake off, peel, damage; to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlew-dirt, mud; to cut, remove, prune, separate; to...

via English boat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishboatA craft used for transportation of goods,...
2Middle EnglishbotA seafaring vessel or watercraft; a device for...
3Old Englishbātthat which can be bitten, food, bait; boat, ship,...
4Proto-West Germanicbaitboat, ship
5Proto-Germanicbaitazboat, ship
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeyd-to split
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰey-bee
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lew-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewp-Every word from Proto-Germanic luftuz
boatlift — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer