Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “climbdown” come from?

climbdown (English) comes from English climb, from German klimmen, from Middle High German klimben, from Old High German klimban, from Proto-Germanic klimbaną, from Proto-Germanic klībaną, from Proto-Indo-European gleybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European gley- — to be cold, to freeze.

climbdown (English): A retreat or withdrawal from an earlier position...

Definitions

  1. A retreat or withdrawal from an earlier position...

Ancestry of “climbdown”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclimbTo ascend; rise; to go up; To mount; to move...
2Germanklimmento climb
3Middle High Germanklimben—
4Old High Germanklimban—
5Proto-Germanicklimbanąto climb
6Proto-Germanicklībanąto stick, cling to
7Proto-Indo-Europeangleybʰ-to stick
8Proto-Indo-Europeangley-to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick...
9Proto-Indo-Europeangel-to be cold, to freeze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gel- →