Where does “runner” come from?
Runner comes from Middle English rennere, a noun derived from the verb rennen, meaning one who runs.
runner (English): Agent noun of run; one who runs; A quick escape...
Definitions
- Agent noun of run; one who runs; A quick escape...
Ancestry of “runner”, step by step
runner traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English run
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | run | To move swiftly; To flow; To sail before the... |
| 2 | English | -er | A person or thing that does an action indicated... |
| 3 | Middle English | -er | agentive suffix; agent noun suffix |
| 4 | Old French | -er | Alternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;... |
| 5 | Latin | -āre | first conjugation |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -āō | Forms primarily denominative verbs |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 10 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |
via Middle English rennere
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rennere | — |