Where does “cutoff” come from?

Cutoff is a compound of English cut and off, where off derives from Middle English of, Old English of, Old English oþ, and Proto-Indo-European h₂epo, originally meaning away or from.

cutoff (English): The point at which something terminates or to...

Definitions

  1. The point at which something terminates or to...

Ancestry of “cutoff”, step by step

cutoff traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English off

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoffIn a direction away from the speaker or object;...
2Middle Englishofof; off; until
3Old Englishofof, from, off, out of
4Old Englishæfof
5Proto-Germanic*ab—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanapó—

via English cut

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishcut"To incise, to cut into the surface of...
2Middle Englishcutten—
3Old Norsekytjahovel, small cottage
4Proto-Germanickutjanąto cut
Every word from Proto-Indo-European apó →