Where does “paddlefoot” come from?

paddlefoot (English) comes from English paddle, from Middle English padell, from Medieval Latin padela, from Middle English spaddle, from English spade, from Italian spade, from Italian spata, from Latin spatha.

paddlefoot (English): A member of the groundcrew

Definitions

  1. A member of the groundcrew

Ancestry of “paddlefoot”, step by step

paddlefoot traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English paddle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpaddleA two-handed, single-bladed oar used to propel a...
2Middle Englishpadellsmall spade
3Medieval Latinpadela
4Middle Englishspaddle
5EnglishspadeA garden tool with a handle and a flat blade for...
6Italianspadeplural of spada
7Italianspataspathe
8Latinspathaspatula, spattle; spatha; a long, two-edged,...
9Ancient Greekσπάθηany broad blade, of wood or metal
10Proto-Indo-Europeansph₂-dʰ-

via English foot

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfootA biological structure found in many animals that...
2Middle Englishfotfoot; The bottom, lower part or foundation of...
3Old Englishfōtfoot
4Proto-West Germanicfōtfoot
5Proto-Germanicfōtsfoot
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpṓdsfoot
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpódsfoot
8Proto-Indo-Europeanped-to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sph₂-dʰ-Every word from Ancient Greek σπάθηEvery word from Latin spatha