Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “shortwave” come from?

Shortwave is a compound of English short and wave, where short derives from Middle English schort, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- meaning to cut or divide.

shortwave (English): Having a wavelength of approximately 10 to 100...

Definitions

  1. Having a wavelength of approximately 10 to 100...

Ancestry of “shortwave”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshortHaving a small distance from one end or edge to...
2Middle Englishschortshort; short , brief, quick; ephemeral, having a...
3Old Englishsċeort—
4Proto-West Germanicskurtshort; lacking, deficient
5Proto-Germanicskurtazshort; lacking, deficient
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth

Words derived from “shortwave”

  • ultrashortwave
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- →