Where does “safety valve” come from?
safety valve (English) comes from English safety, from Middle English savete, from Old French sauveté, from Medieval Latin salvitas, from Latin salvus, from Proto-Italic *salawos, from Proto-Indo-European solh₂wós, from Proto-Indo-European sōlh₂- — mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy.
safety valve (English): A valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc. (such as a boiler or pressure cooker), would burst, thus reducing the pressure; a relief valve
Definitions
- A valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc. (such as a boiler or pressure cooker), would burst, thus reducing the pressure; a relief valve
Ancestry of “safety valve”, step by step
safety valve traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English safety
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | safety | The condition or feeling of being safe; security;... |
| 2 | Middle English | savete | Safety, security; being unharmed or unharmable |
| 3 | Old French | sauveté | — |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | salvitas | — |
| 5 | Latin | salvus | safe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed,... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *salawos | whole |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | solh₂wós | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sōlh₂- | mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy |
via English valve
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | valve | A device that controls the flow of a gas or fluid... |
| 2 | Latin | valva | double or folding door; one leaf of such doors |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | *wolVwā- | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | *wol-ew-o- | — |