Where does “midground” come from?
midground (English) comes from English MID, from English mid-range, from English range, from Middle English rengen, from Old French rengier, from Old French reng, from Latin rencus, from Gaulish rekos — to set in order.
midground (English): The point between foreground and background in an...
Definitions
- The point between foreground and background in an...
Ancestry of “midground”, step by step
midground traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English MID
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | MID | Initialism of mobile information device |
| 2 | English | mid-range | Of a central or halfway point |
| 3 | English | range | A line or series of mountains, buildings, etc; A... |
| 4 | Middle English | rengen | — |
| 5 | Old French | rengier | to line up; to form ranks |
| 6 | Old French | reng | place; position |
| 7 | Latin | rencus | row; order, rank |
| 8 | Gaulish | rekos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Celtic | reketi | to arrange |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | (H)rek- | to set in order |
via English ground
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ground | The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky... |
| 2 | Middle English | ground | ground; Earth |
| 3 | Old English | grund | ground; bottom, foundation; abyss, depths |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | grunduz | ground, foundation |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrem- | to be angry; to sound, bellow, growl, roar, be... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰer- | to rub; to stroke; to grind |