Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rhumb” come from?

rhumb (English) comes from Portuguese rumo, from Spanish rumbo, from Latin rhombus, from Ancient Greek ῥόμβος, from Ancient Greek ῥέμβω, from Proto-Indo-European wrembh-, from Proto-Indo-European werbh-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

rhumb (English): A line which crosses successive meridians at a...

Definitions

  1. A line which crosses successive meridians at a...

Ancestry of “rhumb”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Portugueserumo—
2Spanishrumbocourse; heading, bearing
3Latinrhombusrhombus; flatfish; sturgeon
4Ancient Greekῥόμβοςbullroarer, an instrument whirled on the end of a...
5Ancient GreekῥέμβωI turn in circles; I roam, rove about
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwrembh-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerbh-to turn, twist, bend
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →