Where does “driftage” come from?

driftage (English) comes from English age, from Middle English age, from Old French aage, from Vulgar Latin aetaticum, from Latin aetās, from Latin aevitās, from Proto-Italic aiwotāts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu- — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.

driftage (English): Deviation from a ship's course due to leeway;...

Definitions

  1. Deviation from a ship's course due to leeway;...

Ancestry of “driftage”, step by step

driftage traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English age

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishageThe whole duration of a being, whether animal,...
2Middle EnglishageThe age of someone or rarely something; how old someone is
3Old Frenchaageage
4Vulgar Latinaetaticumage
5Latinaetāsthe period of a life: lifetime, lifespan
6Latinaevitās
7Proto-Italicaiwotātsage
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning

via English drift

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdriftMovement; that which moves or is moved; The act...
2Middle Englishdrift
3Old Englishdriftan act of driving (cattle, herds, etc.); movement
4Proto-Germanicdriftizdriving
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey-