Where does “rangefinding” come from?

rangefinding (English) comes from English range, from Middle English rengen, from Old French rengier, from Old French reng, from Latin rencus, from Gaulish rekos, from Proto-Celtic reketi, from Proto-Indo-European (H)rek- — to set in order.

rangefinding (English): The act of determining the distance to a target

Definitions

  1. The act of determining the distance to a target

Ancestry of “rangefinding”, step by step

rangefinding traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English range

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrangeA line or series of mountains, buildings, etc; A...
2Middle Englishrengen
3Old Frenchrengierto line up; to form ranks
4Old Frenchrengplace; position
5Latinrencusrow; order, rank
6Gaulishrekos
7Proto-Celticreketito arrange
8Proto-Indo-European(H)rek-to set in order

via English finding

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfindingA result of research or an investigation; A...
2EnglishfindTo encounter or discover by accident; to happen...
3Middle Englishfindento find; to discover
4Old Englishfindanto find, meet
5Proto-West Germanicfinþanto find, to discover, to come upon
6Proto-Germanicfinþanąto find, to discover, to come upon
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpent-to pass; path
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (H)rek-