Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lifeboat” come from?

Lifeboat comes from English life and Middle English boot, from Old English bāt, from Latin buttis, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeyd-.

lifeboat (English): A boat especially designed for saving the lives...

Definitions

  1. A boat especially designed for saving the lives...

Ancestry of “lifeboat”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlifeThe state of organisms preceding their death,...
2Middle Englishlyflife
3Old Englishlīflife, existence; life-time
4Proto-West Germaniclībbody; life
5Proto-Germaniclībąbody; life
6Proto-Germaniclībanąto remain, to be left
7Proto-Indo-Europeanleyp-to stick; fat or sticky substance
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlēy-to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

Words derived from “lifeboat”

  • lifeboatman
  • lifeboatsman
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēy- →