Where does “crossroad” come from?
Crossroad derives from English cross and road, where cross comes from Middle English cross, Old English rād, Proto-Germanic raidō, and Proto-Indo-European kret-, ultimately from Latin crux meaning "cross."
crossroad (English): A crossroads; A road that crosses another
Definitions
- A crossroads; A road that crosses another
Ancestry of “crossroad”, step by step
crossroad traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English cross
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cross | A geometrical figure consisting of two straight... |
| 2 | French | croix | cross; a representation of a cross; the cross as... |
| 3 | German | Kreuz | cross; clubs; sharp |
| 4 | Spanish | Cruz | cross |
| 5 | Portuguese | cruz | cross |
| 6 | Italian | croce | cross |
| 7 | Latin | crux | wooden frame on which criminals were crucified,... |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | *kruks | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱer- | to caw, crow |
via English road
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | road | A way used for travelling between places,... |
| 2 | Middle English | rode | A cross or gibbet; The cross of Christ; The cross... |
| 3 | Old English | rād | road; riding, hostile incursion; riding, road |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | raidu | riding, ride |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | raidō | ride, journey; name of the R-rune |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | rīdaną | to ride |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | rēydʰ- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |