Where does “rainflow” come from?

rainflow (English) comes from English flow, from Middle English flowen, from Old English flōwan, from Proto-West Germanic *flōan, from Proto-Germanic flōaną, from Proto-Indo-European plōw-, from Proto-Indo-European plew- — to fly, flow, run.

rainflow (English): A flow of rainwater

Definitions

  1. A flow of rainwater

Ancestry of “rainflow”, step by step

rainflow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English flow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishflowA movement in people or things with a particular...
2Middle EnglishflowenTo flow, stream, or issue; to move; To become...
3Old Englishflōwanto flow
4Proto-West Germanic*flōanto flow
5Proto-Germanicflōanąto flow
6Proto-Indo-Europeanplōw-to flow, swim; to pour, wash
7Proto-Indo-Europeanplew-to fly, flow, run

via English rain

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrainCondensed water falling from a cloud; Any matter...
2Middle Englishreynrain water falling from a cloud
3Old Englishreġnrain
4Proto-West Germanicregnrain
5Proto-Germanicregnąrain
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreǵ-to flow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European plew-Every word from Proto-Indo-European plōw-Every word from Proto-Germanic flōaną
rainflow — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer