Where does “overbrow” come from?

overbrow (English) comes from English over, from Middle English over, from Old English ōfer, from Proto-West Germanic obar, from Proto-Germanic uber, from Proto-Indo-European upér, from Proto-Indo-European upó, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.

overbrow (English): To hang over like a brow; to impend over

Definitions

  1. To hang over like a brow; to impend over

Ancestry of “overbrow”, step by step

overbrow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English over

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoverDiscontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;...
2Middle Englishoverriverbank, seashore, brink
3Old Englishōferriverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border
4Proto-West Germanicobarover, above
5Proto-Germanicuberover; over, above
6Proto-Indo-Europeanupérabove; over
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—

via English brow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbrowThe ridge over the eyes; the eyebrow; The first...
2Middle EnglishbroweThe eyebrow; The brow; The eyelid
3Old Englishbrūan eyelash
4West Germanic*brāwu—
5Proto-Germanicbrūwōeyebrow
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃bʰrúHseyebrow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →