Where does “driftway” come from?

driftway (English) comes from English drift, from Middle English drift, from Old English drift, from Proto-Germanic driftiz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

driftway (English): A common road or path for driving cattle; A...

Definitions

  1. A common road or path for driving cattle; A...

Ancestry of “driftway”, step by step

driftway traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

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

via English Way

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWayChristianity
2Middle Englishway
3Old Englishweġway; path; way, road, path
4Proto-West Germanicwegway, road
5Proto-Germanicwēgazwave; sea
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-