Where does “snowbank” come from?

snowbank (English) comes from English Bank, from Swedish bänk, from Dutch bank, from Italian banco, from Old High German bank, from Proto-West Germanic banki, from Proto-Germanic bankiz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeg- — to break.

snowbank (English): A heap of snow

Definitions

  1. A heap of snow

Ancestry of “snowbank”, step by step

snowbank traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Bank

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBankA major London Underground station in the City of London, named after the Bank of England and one of the busiest stations on the network OS grid ref TQ3281
2Swedishbänkbench, a long sofa without bolster; bench; where...
3Dutchbankbench; couch, sofa; place where seashells are...
4Italianbancodesk; counter; bench, table
5Old High Germanbankbench
6Proto-West Germanicbankibench
7Proto-Germanicbankiza raised surface; bulge; hillock; slope; bench
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeg-to break

via English snow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsnowThe frozen, crystalline state of water that falls...
2Middle Englishsnowsnow; snow-white; The temperature where snow...
3Old Englishsnāwsnow
4Proto-West Germanicsnaiwsnow
5Proto-Germanicsnaiwazsnow
6Proto-Indo-Europeansnóygʷʰossnow
7Proto-Indo-Europeansneygʷʰ-to snow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeg-Every word from Proto-Germanic bankizEvery word from Proto-West Germanic banki