Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “downthrown” come from?

downthrown (English) comes from English thrown, from Middle English throwen, from Old English þrāwan, from Proto-West Germanic þrāan, from Proto-Germanic þrēaną, from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- — to rub, turn; to drill, pierce.

downthrown (English): Having, or being, a downthrow

Definitions

  1. Having, or being, a downthrow

Ancestry of “downthrown”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishthrownpast participle of throw; Launched by throwing;...
2Middle Englishthrowen—
3Old Englishþrāwanto turn, twist, wind; to turn, twist, curl, rack,...
4Proto-West Germanicþrāanto twist
5Proto-Germanicþrēanąto twist, to turn
6Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₁-to rub, turn; to drill, pierce
Every word from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- →