Where does “showroom” come from?

Showroom comes from English show and room, where room derives from Middle English rome, Old English rūme, Proto-Germanic rūmaz, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European rewh₁-, meaning space or expanse.

showroom (English): A room in a business set aside for the display of...

Definitions

  1. A room in a business set aside for the display of...

Ancestry of “showroom”, step by step

showroom traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English room

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishroomOpportunity or scope; Space "for" something, or...
2Middle EnglishroumA space or area; A room
3Old Englishrūmroom, space; roomy, spacious, ample, extensive,...
4Proto-West Germanicrūmroomy, spacious; room, open space
5Proto-Germanicrūmazroomy, spacious, open
6Proto-Indo-Europeanrewh₁-free space

via English show

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshowTo display, to have somebody see; To bestow; to...
2Middle Englishschewento show
3Old Englishscēawianto look, look at, exhibit, display; to look at,...
4Proto-Germanicskawwōnąto look, see, watch
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kewh₁-to perceive; to observe

Words derived from “showroom

Every word from Proto-Indo-European rewh₁-Every word from Proto-Germanic rūmazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic rūm