Where does “dune” come from?
dune (English) comes from Dutch duin, from Middle Dutch dûne, from Old English dūn, from Proto-Germanic *dūnā, from Proto-Celtic dūnom, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.
dune (English): an island close to Heligoland
Definitions
- an island close to Heligoland
Ancestry of “dune”, step by step
dune traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch duin
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | duin | A dune |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | dûne | — |
| 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 Down
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Down | usually known as County Down |
| 2 | Middle English | doun | down |
| 3 | Old Norse | dúnn | down, down feather |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | dūnaz | Alternative form of *dūnǭ; down |
via German düne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | düne | dune |