Where does “porchlight” come from?
porchlight (English) comes from English Light, from Middle English light, from Old English lēoht, from Proto-West Germanic leuht, from Proto-Germanic leuhtą, from Proto-Indo-European lewktom, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.
porchlight (English): A light on or above a porch
Definitions
- A light on or above a porch
Ancestry of “porchlight”, step by step
porchlight traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Light
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Light | A place name |
| 2 | Middle English | light | The radiation which allows for vision by... |
| 3 | Old English | lēoht | luminous, bright, light, clear, resplendent,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | leuht | light, bright; light |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | leuhtą | light |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewktom | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |
via English porch
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | porch | A covered and enclosed entrance to a building,... |
| 2 | Middle English | porche | — |
| 3 | Latin | porticus | colonnade, arcade; portico |
| 4 | Latin | porta | gate, especially of a city; entrance, passage,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |