Where does “six-footer” come from?
six-footer (English) comes from English footer, from English football, from Middle English fotbal, from Middle English bal, from Old English beall, from English beal, from Old English hyll, from Albanian hulli — to rise, to be tall; hill.
six-footer (English): A person who is six feet tall; An object that is...
Definitions
- A person who is six feet tall; An object that is...
Ancestry of “six-footer”, step by step
six-footer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English footer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | footer | A footgoer; pedestrian; A line of information... |
| 2 | English | football | A sport played on foot in which teams attempt to... |
| 3 | Middle English | fotbal | football game played with a ball; ancestor of soccer, American football, and rugby |
| 4 | Middle English | bal | A ball; A rounded or spherical lump or bump,... |
| 5 | Old English | beall | ball |
| 6 | English | beal | A small inflammatory tumor; pustule; To gather... |
| 7 | Old English | hyll | hill |
| 8 | Albanian | hulli | furrow |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | hulliz | hill |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kl̥Hnís | hill |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | kelH- | to rise, to be tall; hill |