Where does “centerpunch” come from?

centerpunch (English) comes from English Punch, from English puncheon, from Middle English punchoun, from Old French ponchon, from Latin punctiō, from Latin -tiō, from Latin dissertātiō, from Latin dissertus — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

centerpunch (English): A hand tool used to prepare a workpiece prior to...

Definitions

  1. A hand tool used to prepare a workpiece prior to...

Ancestry of “centerpunch”, step by step

centerpunch traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Punch

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPunchA glove puppet who is the main character used in a Punch and Judy show
2EnglishpuncheonA figured stamp, die, or punch, used by...
3Middle Englishpunchoun
4Old Frenchponchonpuncheon
5Latinpunctiōpuncture, pricking
6Latin-tiōtion, -ation, -ing
7Latindissertātiō(spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition
8Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
9Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
10Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
11Latincalceusshoe
12Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
13Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

via English Center

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishCenterThe point in the interior of a circle that is equidistant from all points on the circumference
2Middle Englishcenter
3Middle Frenchcentre
4Latincentrumcenter
5Ancient GreekκέντρονSomething with a sharp point: point, spike, spur;...
6Proto-Hellenic*kéntron
7Proto-Indo-European*ḱéntrompointed tool
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ