Where does “midtown” come from?
Midtown derives from English town, itself from Middle English toun, Old English tūn, Proto-Germanic tūną, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂-, meaning to close or shut.
midtown (English): The part of a city between uptown and downtown
Definitions
- The part of a city between uptown and downtown
Ancestry of “midtown”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | town | A settlement; an area with residential districts,... |
| 2 | Middle English | toun | town |
| 3 | Middle English | ende | The end or finishing of a thing; the terminal... |
| 4 | Old English | ende | end, limit, border, corner |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |