Where does “downpointer” come from?

downpointer (English) comes from English pointer, from English point, from Middle English point, from Old French point, from Latin pūnctum, from Latin punctus, from Latin -tus, from Proto-Italic -tus — Derives action nouns from verb roots.

downpointer (English): A pointer in a hierarchical data structure that points to the node that is down from the current node

Definitions

  1. A pointer in a hierarchical data structure that points to the node that is down from the current node

Ancestry of “downpointer”, step by step

downpointer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pointer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpointerAnything that points or is used for pointing; A...
2EnglishpointA discrete division of something; A sharp...
3Middle Englishpoint
4Old Frenchpointa sting; a prick; moment; time; dot
5Latinpūnctumpoint
6Latinpunctuspricked, punctured, pierced, having been pricked;...
7Latin-tusForms the past participle of verbs; Forms...
8Proto-Italic-tus
9Proto-Indo-European-tusDerives action nouns from verb roots

via English Down

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishDownusually known as County Down
2Middle Englishdoundown
3Old Englishdūnhill, down; hill, dune; hill, mountain
4Proto-Germanic*dūnā
5Proto-Celticdūnomstronghold, rampart
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -tusEvery word from Latin -tusEvery word from Latin punctus