Where does “sawtooth wave” come from?

sawtooth wave (English) comes from English sawtooth, from English saw, from Middle English sawe, from Old English saga, from Proto-West Germanic sagā, from Proto-Germanic sagǭ, from Proto-Indo-European sekʷe-, from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- — to follow; to see; to say.

sawtooth wave (English): A function or waveform that repeatedly ramps...

Definitions

  1. A function or waveform that repeatedly ramps...

Ancestry of “sawtooth wave”, step by step

sawtooth wave traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sawtooth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsawtoothA cutting bit of a saw; A sawtooth wave; Any of...
2EnglishsawA tool with a toothed blade used for cutting hard...
3Middle EnglishsaweAlternative form of sauf
4Old Englishsagasaw; saying; statement; story, tale; narrative
5Proto-West Germanicsagāstory
6Proto-Germanicsagǭstory
7Proto-Indo-Europeansekʷe-
8Proto-Indo-Europeansekʷ-to follow; to see; to say

via English wave

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwaveTo move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat...
2Middle EnglishwaweA wave; Any sort of flowing or spurting motion;...
3Old Englishwǣġa weight; a tool for weighing, balance, scale
4Proto-Germanicwēgazwave; sea
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European sekʷe-Every word from Proto-Germanic sagǭ