Where does “readme” come from?
readme (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.
readme (English): A text file meant to be read before taking any...
Definitions
- A text file meant to be read before taking any...
Ancestry of “readme”, step by step
readme traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English read
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | read | To look at and interpret letters or other... |
| 2 | Middle English | reden | to counsel, advise; to study; to read |
| 3 | Old English | rǣdan | to read, interpret; to counsel, advise; plot,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | rādan | to advise, counsel, help; to devise, decide,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | rēdaną | to decide, advise |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | Hreh₁dʰ- | to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂reh₁- | to think, reason; to arrange |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |
via English Me
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Me | Abbreviation of methyl; Alternative letter-case... |
| 2 | Middle English | me | me; myself; Alternative form of mi |
| 3 | Middle English | men | Alternative form of man; plural of mon |
| 4 | Old English | menn | plural of mann; men, persons, human beings;... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | manniz | nominative/vocative plural of *mann- |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | mann- | human, human being, person, individual; name of... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |