Where does “softbottom” come from?

softbottom (English) comes from English bottom, from Middle English botme, from Old English botm, from Proto-Germanic butmaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰmḗn, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.

softbottom (English): A soft seafloor, typically composed of muddy...

Definitions

  1. A soft seafloor, typically composed of muddy...

Ancestry of “softbottom”, step by step

softbottom traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English bottom

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbottomThe lowest part of anything; Character,...
2Middle EnglishbotmeThe lowest section of something; the bottom,...
3Old Englishbotmbottom; foundation; ground; abyss
4Proto-Germanicbutmazbottom; foundation; ground; abyss
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰmḗnbottom
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

via English soft

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsoftEasily giving way under pressure; Smooth and...
2Middle Englishsoftesoft
3Old Englishsōftesoftly
4Proto-West Germanicsamftōsoftly, gently
5Proto-West GermanicCreates adverbs from adjectives; Creates agent...
6Proto-Germanic-ly; Forms agent nouns, often from the zero-grade...
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanDerives nouns from roots
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰmḗn