Where does “kneehole” come from?
kneehole (English) comes from English knee, from Middle English knē, from Old English cnēo, from Proto-West Germanic kneu, from Proto-Germanic knewą, from Proto-Indo-European ǵnéwo-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵónu — knee.
kneehole (English): A space for the knees (and lower legs), especially under a desk
Definitions
- A space for the knees (and lower legs), especially under a desk
Ancestry of “kneehole”, step by step
kneehole traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English knee
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | knee | In humans, the joint or the region of the joint... |
| 2 | Middle English | knē | The knee or a similar joint in other animals |
| 3 | Old English | cnēo | generation |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | kneu | knee |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | knewą | knee |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵnéwo- | knee |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵónu | knee |
via English hole
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | hole | A hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;... |
| 2 | Middle English | hole | healthy; safe; whole, complete, full |
| 3 | Old English | hol | a hole, a hollow; calumny; slander |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | hol | hollow; hole |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hulą | a hollow; depression; hole |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hulaz | hollow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |