Where does “footwall” come from?

footwall (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.

footwall (English): The section of rock that extends below a diagonal...

Definitions

  1. The section of rock that extends below a diagonal...

Ancestry of “footwall”, step by step

footwall 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 Wall

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWallThe Berlin Wall
2Middle EnglishwallAlternative form of wale
3Old Englishweallwall; fervour; uproar; boiled or mulled wine
4Proto-Germanicwallazwell, spring; wall, rampart, entrenchment
5Latinvallumwall, rampart, entrenchment
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwēl-to see, perceive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ped-