Where does “footman” come from?
Footman comes from Middle English foteman, combining Middle English man or mon (from Proto-Germanic fōts and Proto-Indo-European pṓds meaning "foot") with Proto-Indo-European men- and ped-.
footman (English): A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot...
Definitions
- A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot...
Ancestry of “footman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fotman | Alternative form of foteman; foot soldier,... |
| 2 | Middle English | man | Typically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;... |
| 3 | Old English | mān | bad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;... |
| 4 | Sanskrit | महादेव | the "great God" |
| 5 | Sanskrit | महा | combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | maźʰā́ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | maȷ́ʰā́ | big, great |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | méǵh₂s | big, great |