Where does “ironman” come from?

ironman (English) comes from English MAN, from English manual, from Middle English manuel, from Anglo-Norman manuel, from Old French manual, from Latin manuālis, from Latin manus, from Proto-Italic manus — human being; man; hand.

ironman (English): An extremely tough and strong athlete, especially...

Definitions

  1. An extremely tough and strong athlete, especially...

Ancestry of “ironman”, step by step

ironman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English MAN

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMANInitialism of Metropolitan Area Network
2EnglishmanualA handbook; A booklet that instructs on the usage...
3Middle Englishmanuel
4Anglo-Normanmanuelmanual; done with the hands; handle; manual;...
5Old Frenchmanual
6Latinmanuālishand
7Latinmanushand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting
8Proto-Italicmanushand
9Proto-Indo-Europeanman-human being; man; hand

via English iron

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishironA common, inexpensive metal, silvery grey when...
2OssetianиронOssetian person; an Ossetian, speaking the Iron...
3OssetianирOssetians, the Ossetian nation; the speakers of...
4Proto-IranianwiHráhman
5Proto-Indo-IranianwiHrásman
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute
Every word from Proto-Indo-European man-