Where does “soft-float” come from?
soft-float (English) comes from English float, from Middle English flote, from Old French flote, from Old Norse floti, from Proto-Germanic flutô, from Proto-Indo-European plewd-, from Proto-Indo-European plew- — to fly, flow, run.
Ancestry of “soft-float”, step by step
soft-float traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English float
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | float | Of an object or substance, to be supported by a... |
| 2 | Middle English | flote | Alternative form of floute; Something that... |
| 3 | Old French | flote | fleet |
| 4 | Old Norse | floti | fleet |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | flutô | A float; flotation device; A raft; boat; ship |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | plewd- | to fly, flow, run |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | plew- | to fly, flow, run |
via English soft
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | soft | Easily giving way under pressure; Smooth and... |
| 2 | Middle English | softe | soft |
| 3 | Old English | sōfte | softly |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | samftō | softly, gently |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -ō | Creates adverbs from adjectives; Creates agent... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -ô | -ly; Forms agent nouns, often from the zero-grade... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -ō | Derives nouns from roots |