Where does “pointsman” come from?
pointsman (English) comes from English points, from English point, from Middle English point, from Old French point, from Latin pūnctum, from Latin punctus, from Latin -tus, from Proto-Italic -tus — Derives action nouns from verb roots.
pointsman (English): A man in charge of railroad points or switches
Definitions
- A man in charge of railroad points or switches
Ancestry of “pointsman”, step by step
pointsman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English points
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | points | plural of point; Movable rails which can be used... |
| 2 | English | point | A discrete division of something; A sharp... |
| 3 | Middle English | point | — |
| 4 | Old French | point | a sting; a prick; moment; time; dot |
| 5 | Latin | pūnctum | point |
| 6 | Latin | punctus | pricked, punctured, pierced, having been pricked;... |
| 7 | Latin | -tus | Forms the past participle of verbs; Forms... |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | -tus | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -tus | Derives action nouns from verb roots |
via English MAN
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | MAN | Initialism of Metropolitan Area Network |
| 2 | English | manual | A handbook; A booklet that instructs on the usage... |
| 3 | Middle English | manuel | — |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | manuel | manual; done with the hands; handle; manual;... |
| 5 | Old French | manual | — |
| 6 | Latin | manuālis | hand |
| 7 | Latin | manus | hand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | manus | hand |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | man- | human being; man; hand |