Where does “junkbox” come from?

junkbox (English) comes from English box, from French boxer, from French -er, from English -er, from Middle English -er, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō — he, she.

junkbox (English): A radio operator's collection of miscellaneous equipment

Definitions

  1. A radio operator's collection of miscellaneous equipment

Ancestry of “junkbox”, step by step

junkbox traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English box

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishboxSenses relating to a three-dimensional object or...
2Frenchboxerboxer; boxer shorts, boxers; to box
3French-erForms infinitives of first-conjugation verbs
4English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
5Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
6Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
7Latin-ārefirst conjugation
8Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
9Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
10Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
11Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
12Chichewaiyehe, she

via English junk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishjunkDiscarded or waste material; rubbish, trash,...
2Portuguesejuncoreed, rush; junk
3Arabicجُنْك
4MalayjongJong (a Javanese-Malay cargo and passenger ship)
5Javanesedjong
6Javaneseꦗꦺꦴꦁumbrella
7Kawijoṅ
8Proto-Mon-Khmer*d₂luuŋboat
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from English -erEvery word from French -er