Where does “rummager” come from?

rummager (English) comes from English rummage, from Middle English ronage, from Old French arrumage, from Old French arrumer, from Middle Dutch ruum, from Old Dutch rūm, from Proto-West Germanic rūm, from Proto-Germanic rūmaz — free space.

rummager (English): One who rummages; A worker in charge of stowing...

Definitions

  1. One who rummages; A worker in charge of stowing...

Ancestry of “rummager”, step by step

rummager traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English rummage

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrummageTo arrange in the hold of a ship; to move or...
2Middle EnglishronageAccommodation or arrangement of cargo in a ship, stowage
3Old Frencharrumage
4Old Frencharrumerto arrange the cargo in the hold
5Middle Dutchruum
6Old Dutchrūmroomy, spacious
7Proto-West Germanicrūmroomy, spacious; room, open space
8Proto-Germanicrūmazroomy, spacious, open
9Proto-Indo-Europeanrewh₁-free space

via English ER

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishERThe statistic "Earned Run"; Initialism of...
2Turkisherearly; brave; man, male
3Ottoman Turkishایرsaddle, a seat for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal
4Old Anatolian Turkishایرearly, at a time in advance of the usual or expected event
5Proto-Turkicēdersaddle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European rewh₁-Every word from Proto-Germanic rūmazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic rūm
rummager — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer