Where does “footrub” come from?

footrub (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.

footrub (English): A massage of the feet

Definitions

  1. A massage of the feet

Ancestry of “footrub”, step by step

footrub 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 rub

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrubAn act of rubbing; A difficulty or problem; A...
2Middle EnglishrubbenTo rub; to move back and forwards on a surface
3Saterland Frisianrubben
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ped-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pódsEvery word from Proto-Indo-European pṓds
footrub — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer