Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “downslope” come from?

Downslope is a compound of English down, from Old English dūn (hill), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- (to smoke or rise), and English slope.

downslope (English): in a direction down a slope; down a slope; a...

Definitions

  1. in a direction down a slope; down a slope; a...

Ancestry of “downslope”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishDown—
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 dʰewh₂- →