Where does “handcar” come from?

handcar (English) comes from English car, from Middle English carre, from Anglo-Norman carre, from Latin carra, from Latin carrus, from Gaulish karros, from Proto-Celtic karros, from Proto-Indo-European ḱr̥sós — to run.

handcar (English): A light railroad car propelled by a hand-operated...

Definitions

  1. A light railroad car propelled by a hand-operated...

Ancestry of “handcar”, step by step

handcar traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English car

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcarA wheeled vehicle that moves independently, with...
2Middle Englishcarrecart, wagon
3Anglo-Normancarrecart
4Latincarra
5Latincarrusa wagon, a four-wheeled baggage cart; a cartload,...
6Gaulishkarroswagon
7Proto-Celtickarroswagon
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱr̥sósvehicle
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱers-to run

via English Hand

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHandThe part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals
2Middle Englishhondhand; Alternative form of hound
3Old EnglishhandA hand
4Proto-West Germanichanduhand
5SwedishhandA hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player
6Old SwedishhandA hand; A direction; A behalf
7Old Norsehǫndhand
8Proto-Germanichanduzhand
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱers-
handcar — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer