Where does “footplateman” come from?

footplateman (English) comes from English footplate, from English foot, from Middle English fot, from Old English fōt, from Proto-West Germanic fōt, from Proto-Germanic fōts, from Proto-Indo-European pṓds, from Proto-Indo-European póds — to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall.

footplateman (English): A railway worker who is either a locomotive...

Definitions

  1. A railway worker who is either a locomotive...

Ancestry of “footplateman”, step by step

footplateman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English footplate

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfootplateThe metal plate which forms the base platform of...
2EnglishfootA biological structure found in many animals that...
3Middle Englishfotfoot; The bottom, lower part or foundation of...
4Old Englishfōtfoot
5Proto-West Germanicfōtfoot
6Proto-Germanicfōtsfoot
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpṓdsfoot
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpódsfoot
9Proto-Indo-Europeanped-to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall

via English MAN

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMANInitialism of Metropolitan Area Network
2EnglishmanualA handbook; A booklet that instructs on the usage...
3Middle Englishmanuel
4Anglo-Normanmanuelmanual; done with the hands; handle; manual;...
5Old Frenchmanual
6Latinmanuālishand
7Latinmanushand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting
8Proto-Italicmanushand
9Proto-Indo-Europeanman-human being; man; hand
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ped-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pódsEvery word from Proto-Indo-European pṓds