Where does “indentwise” come from?

indentwise (English) comes from English indent, from Middle English indenten, from Old French endenter, from Latin dēns, from Italian dente, from Latin dens, from Proto-Italic dents, from Proto-Indo-European h₃dónts — to eat.

indentwise (English): Cut so that the two cut pieces fit together in an interlocking fashion, like a traditional indenture document

Definitions

  1. Cut so that the two cut pieces fit together in an interlocking fashion, like a traditional indenture document

Ancestry of “indentwise”, step by step

indentwise traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English indent

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishindentA cut or notch in the margin of anything, or a...
2Middle Englishindentento dent in
3Old Frenchendenterto provide with teeth
4Latindēnsa tooth
5Italiandentetooth; cog, prong
6Latindenstooth; a spike, prong, or any tooth-like...
7Proto-Italicdentstooth
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃dóntstooth
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ed-to eat

via English wise

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwiseShowing good judgement or the benefit of...
2Middle Englishwyswise, thoughtful, proper; knowledgeable; alert,...
3Old Englishwīswise
4Proto-Germanicwīsazwise, knowledgeable
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweydstosknowledgeable
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed-