Where does “plugboard” come from?

plugboard (English) comes from English board, from English boardrider, from English rider, from Middle English ridere, from Middle English ryder, from Old English rīdere, from Old English rīdan, from Proto-West Germanic rīdan — to fit, to fix, to put together.

plugboard (English): An array of jacks or hubs into which patch cords...

Definitions

  1. An array of jacks or hubs into which patch cords...

Ancestry of “plugboard”, step by step

plugboard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English board

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishboardA relatively long, wide and thin piece of any...
2Englishboardridersurfer
3EnglishriderOne who rides, often on a horse or a motorcycle;...
4Middle EnglishridereAlternative form of ryder
5Middle EnglishryderA rider or equestrian; one who rides a horse; A...
6Old Englishrīdererider, knight
7Old Englishrīdanto ride
8Proto-West Germanicrīdanto ride
9Proto-Germanicrīdanąto ride
10Proto-Indo-Europeanrēydʰ-
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

via English plug

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishplugA pronged connecting device which fits into a...
2Dutchplugwall plug
3Dutchplugge
4Middle Dutchpluggepeg, plug
5Old Dutchpluggi
6Proto-Germanicplugjaz
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er-
plugboard — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer