Where does “downrank” come from?
downrank (English) comes from English Down, from Middle English doun, from Old English dūn, from Proto-Germanic *dūnā, from Proto-Celtic dūnom, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.
downrank (English): To lower in rank
Definitions
- To lower in rank
Ancestry of “downrank”, step by step
downrank traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Down
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Down | usually known as County Down |
| 2 | Middle English | doun | down |
| 3 | Old English | dūn | hill, down; hill, dune; hill, mountain |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *dūnā | — |
| 5 | Proto-Celtic | dūnom | stronghold, rampart |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |
via English rank
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | rank | Strong of its kind or in character; unmitigated;... |
| 2 | Middle English | rank | line, row; strong, proud |
| 3 | Old English | ranc | proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, froward,... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | rankaz | erect, upright |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | reǵ- | to bind; straight, direct; straight, right |