Where does “microfouling” come from?

microfouling (English) comes from English fouling, from English foul, from Middle English foulen, from Old English fūlian, from Proto-Germanic fūlāną, from Proto-Germanic -āną, from Proto-Germanic -ajaną, from Proto-Indo-European -oyéti — he, she.

microfouling (English): fouling by microorganisms

Definitions

  1. fouling by microorganisms

Ancestry of “microfouling”, step by step

microfouling traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English fouling

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishfoulingpresent participle of foul; The adhesion of a...
2EnglishfoulCovered with, or containing unclean matter;...
3Middle EnglishfoulenTo dirty or foul; to make or become dirty
4Old Englishfūlianto become foul; rot; decay
5Proto-GermanicfūlānąTo become foul; rot; decay
6Proto-Germanic-ānąCreates factitive verbs from adjectives, later...
7Proto-Germanic-ajaną—
8Proto-Indo-European-oyétiCreates factitive verbs from adjectives
9Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
11Chichewaiyehe, she

via English micro

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmicroSmall, relatively small; short form of...
2Ancient Greekμικρόςlittle, small
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmēy-soft, tender, dear

Words derived from “microfouling”

Every word from Chichewa iye →Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yéti →Every word from Proto-Germanic -āną →