Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “doorkeeper” come from?

Doorkeeper derives from Middle English kepere and Old English dora, from Proto-Germanic durz and Proto-Indo-European dʰwer-, meaning to hold or support.

doorkeeper (English): The person in charge of an entryway, sometimes...

Definitions

  1. The person in charge of an entryway, sometimes...

Ancestry of “doorkeeper”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdoorA portal of entry into a building, room, or...
2Middle Englishdore—
3Old Englishdorabumblebee
4Proto-Germanicdurôbumblebee, humming insect
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →