Where does “outfield” come from?
Outfield comes from English out- and field, where field derives from Middle English feld, Old English feld, Proto-Germanic felþuz meaning "open land," and ultimately Proto-Indo-European pel- meaning "to spread."
outfield (English): The region of the field between the infield and...
Definitions
- The region of the field between the infield and...
Ancestry of “outfield”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | field | A land area free of woodland, cities, and towns;... |
| 2 | Middle English | feeld | A field; The countryside; empty land that... |
| 3 | Old English | feld | field |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | felþu | field |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | felþuz | field, plain |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pelh₂- | to approach |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |