Where does “ringfence” come from?

ringfence (English) comes from English fence, from Middle English fence, from Middle English defence, from Old French defens, from Late Latin defensa, from Latin defensus, from Latin dēfendō, from Latin dē- — afterwards, post; by, at.

ringfence (English): A fence which encircles a large area, or a whole...

Definitions

  1. A fence which encircles a large area, or a whole...

Ancestry of “ringfence”, step by step

ringfence traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English fence

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfenceA thin artificial barrier that separates two...
2Middle Englishfence
3Middle Englishdefence
4Old Frenchdefens
5Late Latindefensaprotection; bounded, defended; defence
6Latindefensusdriven away, having been driven away; defended,...
7Latindēfendōto drive away
8Latindē-of; from
9Latinof; concerning; about
10Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
11Latinposteablative singular of postis
12Proto-Italicpostibehind, after
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpóstiafter
14Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

via English ring

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishringA solid object in the shape of a circle; A group...
2Middle Englishryngring
3Old Englishhringring
4Proto-West Germanichringring, circle
5Proto-Germanichringazring, circle; curve; sound, ring
6Proto-Indo-European(s)krengʰ-to turn, bend
7Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
8Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós