Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “indoors” come from?

Indoors is a compound of English in and door, which derives from Middle English dore, Old English dora, Proto-Germanic durz, and Proto-Indo-European dʰwer-, meaning to hold or enclose.

indoors (English): In or into a building; The interior of a...

Definitions

  1. In or into a building; The interior of a...

Ancestry of “indoors”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishdoorsplural of door; Third-person singular simple...
2EnglishdoorA portal of entry into a building, room, or...
3Middle Englishdore—
4Old Englishdorabumblebee
5Proto-Germanicdurôbumblebee, humming insect
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

Words derived from “indoors”

  • indoorsy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →