Where does “read-only” come from?

read-only (English) comes from English read, from Middle English reden, from Old English rǣdan, from Proto-West Germanic rādan, from Proto-Germanic rēdaną, from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₁dʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂reh₁-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- — to fit, to fix, to put together.

read-only (English): Unalterable, capable of being read but not...

Definitions

  1. Unalterable, capable of being read but not...

Ancestry of “read-only”, step by step

read-only traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English read

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishreadTo look at and interpret letters or other...
2Middle Englishredento counsel, advise; to study; to read
3Old Englishrǣdanto read, interpret; to counsel, advise; plot,...
4Proto-West Germanicrādanto advise, counsel, help; to devise, decide,...
5Proto-Germanicrēdanąto decide, advise
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₁dʰ-to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂reh₁-to think, reason; to arrange
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

via English only

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishonlyAlone in a category; Singularly superior; the...
2Middle Englishoonlyalone, apart; only, sole, unique; peerless,...
3Old Englishānlīċonly
4Old Englishānlonely; entirely alone, solitary, single; one
5Proto-West Germanicainone
6Proto-Germanicainazone; some
7Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er-