Where does “milktoast” come from?

milktoast (English) comes from English milk, from Middle English milk, from Old English meolc, from Proto-West Germanic meluk, from Proto-Germanic meluks, from Proto-Indo-European h₂melǵ- — to milk; milk.

Ancestry of “milktoast”, step by step

milktoast traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English milk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmilkA white liquid produced by the mammary glands of...
2Middle Englishmilkmilk
3Old Englishmeolcmilk
4Proto-West Germanicmelukmilk
5Proto-Germanicmeluksmilk
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂melǵ-to milk; milk

via English toast

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtoastToasted bread; A proposed salutation while...
2Middle EnglishtostenTo toast; to brown bread; To burn or heat
3Old Frenchtosterto roast, grill
4Latintostusroasted, toasted, scorched, having been roasted;...
5Proto-Italic*torstos—

Words derived from “milktoast”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂melǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic meluks →Every word from Proto-West Germanic meluk →
milktoast — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer