Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “semi-highway” come from?

semi-highway (English) comes from English highway, from Middle English heiȝwai, from Old English hēahweġ, from Old English hēah, from Old English hām, from Proto-West Germanic haim, from Proto-Germanic haimaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóymos — to be lying down; to settle.

semi-highway (English): An undivided road, usually two lanes, which is...

Definitions

  1. An undivided road, usually two lanes, which is...

Ancestry of “semi-highway”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhighwayA main, direct public road, especially a...
2Middle Englishheiȝwai—
3Old Englishhēahweġmain road, highway
4Old Englishhēahhigh, tall, lofty, high-class, exalted, sublime,...
5Old Englishhāmhome; village, community; village, hamlet, manor,...
6Proto-West Germanichaimhome
7Proto-Germanichaimazhome; house; village
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱóymosof the home, belonging to the family; village,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →