Where does “downladder” come from?
downladder (English) comes from English ladder, from Middle English ladder, from Old English hlǣder, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju, from Proto-Germanic hlaidrijō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱley-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
downladder (English): Down a ladder
Definitions
- Down a ladder
Ancestry of “downladder”, step by step
downladder traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ladder
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ladder | A frame, usually portable, of wood, metal, or... |
| 2 | Middle English | ladder | ladder; A frame for a cart |
| 3 | Old English | hlǣder | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *hlaidriju | ladder |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hlaidrijō | ladder |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱley- | to shelter, cover; to lean, slope, incline |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |