Where does “sawtooth” come from?
Sawtooth combines English saw, from Middle English tooth, from Old English tōþ, from Proto-Germanic tanþs, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- meaning to eat, in reference to the tooth-like cutting edge.
sawtooth (English): A cutting bit of a saw; A sawtooth wave; Any of...
Definitions
- A cutting bit of a saw; A sawtooth wave; Any of...
Ancestry of “sawtooth”, step by step
sawtooth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English saw
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | saw | A tool with a toothed blade used for cutting hard... |
| 2 | Middle English | sawe | Alternative form of sauf |
| 3 | Old English | saga | saw; saying; statement; story, tale; narrative |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | sagā | story |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sagǭ | story |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷe- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |