Where does “middlegame” come from?

middlegame (English) comes from English game, from Middle English game, from Old English gamen, from Proto-West Germanic gaman, from Proto-Germanic gamaną, from Proto-Germanic ga-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm, from Proto-Indo-European ḱe — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

middlegame (English): The period in a game between the opening and...

Definitions

  1. The period in a game between the opening and...

Ancestry of “middlegame”, step by step

middlegame traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English game

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgameA playful or competitive activity; A video game;...
2Middle EnglishgameEntertainment or an instance of it; that which is...
3Old Englishgamengame, sport, or pastime; joy, mirth, or pleasure
4Proto-West Germanicgamanpleasure, fun, amusement, entertainment
5Proto-Germanicgamanąa fellow human, associate, companion; pleasure,...
6Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
9Middle Englishkyt
10Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
11Old High Germankuti
12Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
13Proto-Germanickweduzresin
14Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
15Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

via English middle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmiddleA centre, midpoint; The part between the...
2Middle EnglishmyddelThe middle or centre of something
3Old Englishmiddelmiddle
4Proto-West Germanic*midl
5Proto-Germanicmidląmiddle
6Proto-Germanicmidjōmiddle, midst
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmédʰyosmiddle
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmedʰi-with, among; with, along
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmein the middle of, near, by, around, with
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet-Every word from Proto-Germanic kweduz