Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “preflight” come from?

Preflight derives from English flight combined with the prefix pre-, ultimately tracing through Latin prae and Proto-Indo-European roots related to movement and crossing.

preflight (English): Taking place before the start of a flight;...

Definitions

  1. Taking place before the start of a flight;...

Ancestry of “preflight”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishflightThe act of flying; An instance of flying; The act...
2Middle Englishflightflight
3Old Englishflyhtflight
4Proto-West Germanic*fluhtī—
5Proto-Germanic*fluhtiją—
6Proto-Germanicflehtanąto plait, to weave
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpleḱ-to fold, plait, weave
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel- →