Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “seafaring” come from?

Seafaring comes from English sea, from Middle English see, from Old English sǣ, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sed- meaning to sit or settle.

seafaring (English): Living one's life at sea; Fit to travel on the...

Definitions

  1. Living one's life at sea; Fit to travel on the...

Ancestry of “seafaring”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishseaA large body of salt water; A lake, especially if...
2Middle Englishseesea, ocean; A body of water, a lake; seat, chair
3Old Englishsǣsea, lake
4Proto-West Germanicsaiwisea
5Proto-Germanicsaiwizsea, ocean
6Proto-Germanicsīhwanąto filter
7Proto-Indo-Europeanseykʷ-to moisten; to filter
8Proto-Indo-Europeansey-to be wet; dribble; run; to stretch one's arm;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sey- →