Where does “lifebuoy” come from?
lifebuoy (English) comes from English life buoy, from English buoy, from Middle English boy, from Middle Dutch boeye, from Old French boie, from Latin boia, from Ancient Greek βοείη, from Ancient Greek βοῦς — army.
lifebuoy (English): Alternative spelling of life buoy
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of life buoy
Ancestry of “lifebuoy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | life buoy | A buoyant object that is used as a life-saving... |
| 2 | English | buoy | A float moored in water to mark a location, warn... |
| 3 | Middle English | boy | — |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | boeye | life buoy; float, buoy; shackle, fetter |
| 5 | Old French | boie | bond, chain; fetter, chain, clog |
| 6 | Latin | boia | fetter, collar for the neck |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | βοείη | ox hide |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | βοῦς | cow, ox, cattle; shield: ὃτι ἐκ βοείων ἐστι... |
| 9 | Latin | corvus | A raven; a bird associated with prophecy and... |
| 10 | Proto-Italic | korwos | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱorh₂wós | — |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |