Where does “breastwheel” come from?

breastwheel (English) comes from English wheel, from Middle English whel, from Old English hwēol, from Proto-Germanic hweulō, from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷléh₂, from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷlos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- — to turn.

breastwheel (English): A water wheel where the stream of water strikes...

Definitions

  1. A water wheel where the stream of water strikes...

Ancestry of “breastwheel”, step by step

breastwheel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English wheel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwheelA circular device capable of rotating on its...
2Middle EnglishwhelA wheel circular device for motion
3Old Englishhwēolwheel
4Proto-Germanichweulōnominative/vocative/accusative plural of *hwehwlą
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷékʷléh₂
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷékʷloswheel; circle
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷel-to turn

via English breast

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbreastEither of the two organs on the front of a female...
2Middle Englishbrestchest, thorax; The breast in several contexts;...
3Old Englishbrēostchest
4Proto-West Germanicbreustbreast, chest
5Proto-Germanicbreustąbreast, chest
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrews-to break
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷlosEvery word from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷléh₂