Where does “bottom” come from?
Bottom comes from Middle English botme, from Old English bodan, from Proto-Germanic butmaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰmḗn, ultimately derived from the root dʰewh₂-.
bottom (English): The lowest part of anything; Character,...
Definitions
- The lowest part of anything; Character,...
Ancestry of “bottom”, step by step
bottom traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English botme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | botme | The lowest section of something; the bottom,... |
| 2 | Old English | botm | bottom; foundation; ground; abyss |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | butmaz | bottom; foundation; ground; abyss |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰudʰmḗn | bottom |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewbʰ- | deep |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |