Where does “eat away” come from?

eat away (English) comes from English eat, from Middle English eten, from Old English eoten, from Proto-Germanic etunaz, from Proto-Germanic etaną, from Proto-Indo-European h₁édti, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- — to eat.

eat away (English): To physically corrode or erode (something) gradually

Definitions

  1. To physically corrode or erode (something) gradually

Ancestry of “eat away”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglisheatTo ingest
2Middle EnglishetenTo eat, devour; To consume or have a meal; To...
3Old Englisheotengiant, monster
4Proto-Germanicetunazan overeater, glutton; a giant
5Proto-Germanicetanąto eat
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁édtito eat
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ed-to eat

Words derived from “eat away”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- →
eat away — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer