Where does “rope dancer” come from?

rope dancer (English) comes from English rope, from Middle English ropen, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos — adjectival suffix.

rope dancer (English): A tightrope walker; an acrobat

Definitions

  1. A tightrope walker; an acrobat

Ancestry of “rope dancer”, step by step

rope dancer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English rope

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishropeThick strings, yarn, monofilaments, metal wires,...
2Middle EnglishropenTo form into ropes or strands
3Middle English-enDenotes the past participle form when attached to...
4Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
5Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
6Proto-Norse-īna-
7Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
8Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
9Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

via English Dancer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishDancerThe second reindeer of Santa Claus
2Middle Englishdauncer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no-