Where does “corpse-to-be” come from?

corpse-to-be (English) comes from English to-be, from English to, from Middle English to, from Middle English tone, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος, from Proto-Hellenic tónos, from Proto-Indo-European tónos — to stretch, to extend.

corpse-to-be (English): A person or other living creature that is...

Definitions

  1. A person or other living creature that is...

Ancestry of “corpse-to-be”, step by step

corpse-to-be traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English to-be

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishto-beThe future, that which is to come
2EnglishtoA particle used for marking the following verb as...
3Middle Englishtotoe; to; too
4Middle Englishtonethe one
5LatintonusThe stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;...
6Ancient Greekτόνοςrope, cord; chord; tone, note
7Proto-Hellenictónosrope, cord; tension
8Proto-Indo-Europeantónossomething stretched; chord, fiber, string
9Proto-Indo-Europeanten-to stretch, to extend

via English corpse

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcorpseA dead body; A human body in general, whether...
2EnglishcorseA body; A dead body, a corpse
3Middle Englishcors
4Old Frenchcorsbody
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ten-Every word from Proto-Indo-European tónosEvery word from Proto-Hellenic tónos
corpse-to-be — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer