Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “reefpoint” come from?

reefpoint (English) comes from English point, from Middle English point, from Old French point, from Latin pūnctum, from Latin punctus, from Latin -tus, from Proto-Italic -tus, from Proto-Indo-European -tus — Derives action nouns from verb roots.

reefpoint (English): Any of a series of short ropes attached to a sail...

Definitions

  1. Any of a series of short ropes attached to a sail...

Ancestry of “reefpoint”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpointA discrete division of something; A sharp...
2Middle Englishpoint—
3Old Frenchpointa sting; a prick; moment; time; dot
4Latinpūnctum—
5Latinpunctuspricked, punctured, pierced, having been pricked;...
6Latin-tusForms the past participle of verbs; Forms...
7Proto-Italic-tus—
8Proto-Indo-European-tusDerives action nouns from verb roots
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -tus →