Where does “figure four” come from?

figure four (English) comes from English four, from Middle English four, from Old English fēower, from Proto-West Germanic feuwar, from Proto-Germanic fedwōr, from Proto-Indo-European kʷetwóres, from Proto-Indo-European kʷe- — and.

figure four (English): A grappling position where a fighter grabs an...

Definitions

  1. A grappling position where a fighter grabs an...

Ancestry of “figure four”, step by step

figure four traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English four

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfourA numerical value equal to 4; the number after...
2Middle Englishfourfour
3Old Englishfēowerfour
4Proto-West Germanicfeuwarfour
5Proto-Germanicfedwōrfour
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷetwóresfour
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷe-and

via English figure

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfigureA drawing or diagram conveying information; The...
2Middle Englishfigureshape, form, appearance
3Old Frenchfigure
4Latinfigūrashape, form, figure
5Latinfingōto shape, fashion, form, knead (dough)
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeyǵʰ-to knead; to form, to shape
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷe-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷetwóresEvery word from Proto-Germanic fedwōr
figure four — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer