Where does “downrange” come from?

downrange (English) comes from English range, from Middle English rengen, from Old French rengier, from Old French reng, from Latin rencus, from Gaulish rekos, from Proto-Celtic reketi, from Proto-Indo-European (H)rek- — to set in order.

downrange (English): In the horizontal direction away from the launch...

Definitions

  1. In the horizontal direction away from the launch...

Ancestry of “downrange”, step by step

downrange traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English range

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrangeA line or series of mountains, buildings, etc; A...
2Middle Englishrengen
3Old Frenchrengierto line up; to form ranks
4Old Frenchrengplace; position
5Latinrencusrow; order, rank
6Gaulishrekos
7Proto-Celticreketito arrange
8Proto-Indo-European(H)rek-to set in order

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 (H)rek-