Where does “greenlighter” come from?

greenlighter (English) comes from English ER, from Turkish er, from Ottoman Turkish ایر, from Old Anatolian Turkish ایر, from Proto-Turkic ēder — saddle.

greenlighter (English): One who greenlights or approves a project

Definitions

  1. One who greenlights or approves a project

Ancestry of “greenlighter”, step by step

greenlighter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English ER

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishERThe statistic "Earned Run"; Initialism of...
2Turkisherearly; brave; man, male
3Ottoman Turkishایرsaddle, a seat for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal
4Old Anatolian Turkishایرearly, at a time in advance of the usual or expected event
5Proto-Turkicēdersaddle

via English greenlight

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgreenlightTo approve; to permit to proceed
2Englishgreen lightA traffic light in its green state; Approval, or...
Every word from Proto-Turkic ēderEvery word from Old Anatolian Turkish ایرEvery word from Ottoman Turkish ایر