Where does “downcast” come from?

Downcast comes from Middle English adoun-casten, a compound of adoun (down) and casten (to cast or throw).

downcast (English): Looking downwards; Feeling despondent; A cast...

Definitions

  1. Looking downwards; Feeling despondent; A cast...

Ancestry of “downcast”, step by step

downcast traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse kast

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsekast—
2Old Norsekastato cast, to throw
3Proto-Germanickastōnąto throw
4Proto-Germanickas-to throw; bring up; toss

via Middle English doun-casten

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdoun-casten—

Words derived from “downcast”

Every word from Proto-Germanic kas- →Every word from Proto-Germanic kastōną →Every word from Old Norse kasta →