Where does “downtown” come from?
Downtown derives from English down, from Old Norse dúnn, from Old English dūn, from Proto-Celtic dūnom, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to close or cover.
downtown (English): of, relating to, or situated in the central...
Definitions
- of, relating to, or situated in the central...
Ancestry of “downtown”, step by step
downtown traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English town
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | town | A settlement; an area with residential districts,... |
| 2 | Middle English | toun | town |
| 3 | Middle English | ende | The end or finishing of a thing; the terminal... |
| 4 | Old English | ende | end, limit, border, corner |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |