Where does “powerboat” come from?
powerboat (English) comes from English Power, from Middle English power, from Anglo-Norman poer, from Latin potēre, from Latin posse, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis, from Proto-Indo-European pótis — to drink.
powerboat (English): A small, fast motorboat
Definitions
- A small, fast motorboat
Ancestry of “powerboat”, step by step
powerboat traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Power
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Power | A button of a computer, a video game console, or... |
| 2 | Middle English | power | Ability, power or capability |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | poer | — |
| 4 | Latin | potēre | — |
| 5 | Latin | posse | present active infinitive of possum "to be able... |
| 6 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |
via English boat
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | boat | A craft used for transportation of goods,... |
| 2 | Middle English | bot | A seafaring vessel or watercraft; a device for... |
| 3 | Old English | bāt | that which can be bitten, food, bait; boat, ship,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | bait | boat, ship |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | baitaz | boat, ship |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeyd- | to split |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰey- | bee |