Where does “downtrod” come from?
downtrod (English) comes from English trod, from Middle English trod, from Middle English treden, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz — adjectival suffix.
downtrod (English): oppress, suppress, exploit, persecute, step down...
Definitions
- oppress, suppress, exploit, persecute, step down...
Ancestry of “downtrod”, step by step
downtrod traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English trod
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | trod | simple past tense of tread; To walk heavily or... |
| 2 | Middle English | trod | — |
| 3 | Middle English | treden | To place one's foot on something; to lay a step... |
| 4 | Middle English | -en | Denotes the past participle form when attached to... |
| 5 | Old English | -en | mæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;... |
| 6 | Old Norse | -inn | Used to create adjectives from nouns, meaning... |
| 7 | Proto-Norse | -īna- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | -īnaz | -en |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |
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 downtrodden
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | downtrodden | Oppressed, persecuted or subjugated; Trodden... |