Where does “downtune” come from?
downtune (English) comes from English tune, from Middle English tune, from Old French ton, from Latin tuus, from Russian туз, from Polish tuz, from Polish tu, from Polish być — to be able.
downtune (English): To tune (a musical instrument) to a lower pitch
Definitions
- To tune (a musical instrument) to a lower pitch
Ancestry of “downtune”, step by step
downtune traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English tune
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tune | A melody; A song, or short musical composition;... |
| 2 | Middle English | tune | Alternative form of toun |
| 3 | Old French | ton | your |
| 4 | Latin | tuus | your |
| 5 | Russian | туз | ace; bigwig; two-oar dinghy |
| 6 | Polish | tuz | ace; luminary, person of importance in their... |
| 7 | Polish | tu | here |
| 8 | Polish | być | to be |
| 9 | Polish | móc | to be able; may, might; to be allowed |
| 10 | Old Polish | móc | can, may, to be able to |
| 11 | Proto-Slavic | moťь | power |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | mógʰtis | — |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | meǵʰ- | to be able |