Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “speed-dial” come from?

speed-dial (English) comes from English dial, from Middle English diall, from Middle French dyal, from Latin diālis, from Latin diēs, from Proto-Italic djēm, from Proto-Italic *djous, from Proto-Indo-European dyḗws — to be bright; sky, heaven.

speed-dial (English): To dial using speed dial

Definitions

  1. To dial using speed dial

Ancestry of “speed-dial”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdialA graduated, circular scale over which a needle...
2Middle EnglishdiallA pointer on a dial; A timekeeping instrument,...
3Middle Frenchdyal—
4Latindiālis—
5Latindiēs—
6Proto-Italicdjēmaccusative singular of *djous
7Proto-Italic*djous—
8Proto-Indo-Europeandyḗwssky, heaven; sky god
9Proto-Indo-Europeandyéws—
10Proto-Indo-Europeandyew-to be bright; sky, heaven
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dyew- →