Where does “greyscale” come from?

greyscale (English) comes from English scale, from Middle English scale, from Latin scāla, from Latin scandere, from Latin scandō, from Proto-Indo-European sḱend- — to jump up, ascend.

greyscale (English): Alternative spelling of grayscale

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of grayscale

Ancestry of “greyscale”, step by step

greyscale traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English scale

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscaleA ladder; a series of steps; a means of...
2Middle Englishscaleflake
3Latinscālaladder
4Latinscanderethird-person plural perfect active indicative of...
5Latinscandōto climb, ascend, mount
6Proto-Indo-Europeansḱend-to jump up, ascend

via English Grey

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishGreyA member of the Royal Scots Greys, a cavalry...
2Middle Englishgreygrey, dull, drab; glinting, glistening; grey
3Old Englishgrǣġ
4Proto-West Germanic*grāugrey
5Proto-Germanicgrēwazgrey
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰreh₁-to become green, grow; to grow; to green, to grow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱend-
greyscale — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer