Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “colportage” come from?

colportage (English) comes from French colportage, from French colporteur, from French colporter, from Latin comportare, from Latin com-, from Latin con-, from Latin cum, from Old Latin com — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

colportage (English): the distribution or selling of publications via...

Definitions

  1. the distribution or selling of publications via...

Ancestry of “colportage”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcolportage—
2Frenchcolporteurpeddler, hawker
3Frenchcolporterto peddle; to hawk; to spread
4Latincomportarepresent active infinitive of comportō;...
5Latincom-allomorph of con-
6Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt—
13Germankitt—
14Old High Germankuti—
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →