Where does “innkeeper” come from?
Innkeeper derives from English inn, from Middle English in, from Old English inn, from Proto-Indo-European h₁en and en, meaning a dwelling or interior space.
innkeeper (English): The person responsible for the running of an inn,...
Definitions
- The person responsible for the running of an inn,...
Ancestry of “innkeeper”, step by step
innkeeper traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English inn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | inn | Any establishment where travellers can procure... |
| 2 | Middle English | in | Any kind of accomodation; particularly; A home or... |
| 3 | Old English | inn | in; inn |
| 4 | Old English | inne | inside, in; indoors |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | innai | within, inside |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | in | in; into |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | én | in |