Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “seaspray” come from?

seaspray (English) comes from English sea, from Middle English see, from Old English sǣ, from Proto-West Germanic saiwi, from Proto-Germanic saiwiz, from Proto-Germanic sīhwaną, from Proto-Indo-European seykʷ-, from Proto-Indo-European sey- — to be wet; dribble; run; to stretch one's arm;...

seaspray (English): The water thrown into the air when waves break on...

Definitions

  1. The water thrown into the air when waves break on...

Ancestry of “seaspray”, 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- →