Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “funambulate” come from?

funambulate (English) comes from English funambulist, from French funambule, from Latin funambulus, from Latin ambulō, from Latin ambi-, from Latin ambō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi — on, onto.

funambulate (English): To walk on ropes; to tightrope-walk

Definitions

  1. To walk on ropes; to tightrope-walk

Ancestry of “funambulate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfunambulistA tightrope walker or a similar performer on a...
2Frenchfunambuletightrope walker; first-person singular present...
3Latinfunambulusa rope-dancer, tightrope walker; funambulist
4Latinambulō—
5Latinambi-ambi-
6Latinambō—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →