Where does “bobsled” come from?

bobsled (English) comes from English sled, from Middle English sledde, from Middle Dutch sledde, from Proto-Germanic slidô — sled, sleigh.

bobsled (English): A sled used to go down a bob track; The sport of...

Definitions

  1. A sled used to go down a bob track; The sport of...

Ancestry of “bobsled”, step by step

bobsled traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sled

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsledA small, light vehicle with runners, used...
2Middle Englishsledde—
3Middle Dutchsledde—
4Proto-Germanicslidôsled, sleigh

via English Bob

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBobA generic male person
2Middle Englishbobbento strike, to shake; to strike, beat, shake, jog

Words derived from “bobsled”

Every word from Proto-Germanic slidô →Every word from Middle Dutch sledde →Every word from Middle English sledde →