Where does “downstroke” come from?

downstroke (English) comes from English stroke, from Middle English stroke, from Middle English strok, from Old English strāc, from Scots straik, from Proto-Germanic straikaz, from Proto-Indo-European streyg-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ter- — strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to...

downstroke (English): A downward stroke, especially one that is part of...

Definitions

  1. A downward stroke, especially one that is part of...

Ancestry of “downstroke”, step by step

downstroke traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English stroke

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstrokeAn act of stroking; A blow or hit; A single...
2Middle EnglishstrokeAny striking or hitting motion; The force of...
3Middle EnglishstrokAlternative form of stroke; Alternative form of...
4Old Englishstrācstroke
5ScotsstraikA stroke, a blow; To stroke
6Proto-GermanicstraikazA stroke, line, dash
7Proto-Indo-Europeanstreyg-to strike; to shear
8Proto-Indo-European(s)ter-strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to...

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 (s)ter-