Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “shortstop” come from?

Shortstop comes from English short and English top, from Middle English schort and top, from Old English sċeort and top, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- meaning to cut or divide.

shortstop (English): The infield defensive player that stands between...

Definitions

  1. The infield defensive player that stands between...

Ancestry of “shortstop”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstopTo cease moving; To not continue; To cause to...
2EnglishtopThe highest or uppermost part of something; A...
3Middle EnglishtopThe summit or top of something, especially a...
4Old Englishtopp—
5Proto-West Germanic*topp—
6Proto-Germanictuppaztuft, plait; top, summit
7Proto-Indo-Europeandumb-tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,...

Words derived from “shortstop”

  • shortstop
  • arrêt-court
  • shortstop
  • ショートストップ
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dumb- →