Where does “longshot” come from?

longshot (English) comes from English long, from English longitude, from Old French longitude, from Latin longitūdō, from Latin longus, from Latin -ē, from Latin dis-, from Latin calceus — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

longshot (English): Alternative spelling of long shot

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of long shot

Ancestry of “longshot”, step by step

longshot traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English long

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlongHaving much distance from one terminating point...
2EnglishlongitudeAngular distance measured west or east of the...
3Old Frenchlongitude
4Latinlongitūdōlength, longitude; longness
5Latinlongusfar, long; extended, prolonged; long; tedious,...
6Latinly; used to form adverbs from adjectives
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

via English shot

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshotWorn out or broken; Woven from warp and weft...
2Middle EnglishschotA missile or projectile; a thrown or fired weapon
3Old EnglishScotshot, act of shooting
4Old Norseskot
5Proto-Germanicskutąshot
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kewd-to advance, push; to drive, propel
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ