Where does “footquake” come from?

footquake (English) comes 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, from Proto-Indo-European ped- — to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall.

footquake (English): seismic activity caused by the feet of many people moving in unison

Definitions

  1. seismic activity caused by the feet of many people moving in unison

Ancestry of “footquake”, step by step

footquake traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English foot

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

via English earthquake

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishearthquakeA shaking of the ground, caused by volcanic...
2Middle EnglisherthequakeAn earthquake shaking of the ground
3Middle EnglishertheEarth; the world; The Earth's people or...
4Old Englisheorþeground; the planet Earth; dirt
5Proto-West Germanicerþuearth, world; earth, soil
6Proto-Germanicerþōearth
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁er-earth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ped-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pódsEvery word from Proto-Indo-European pṓds