Where does “spillway” come from?
Spillway comes from English spill and way, with way tracing to Old English weġ, Proto-Germanic spillijaną, and Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- meaning to move or carry.
spillway (English): A path designed to take away overflow safely
Definitions
- A path designed to take away overflow safely
Ancestry of “spillway”, step by step
spillway traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Way
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Way | Christianity |
| 2 | Middle English | way | — |
| 3 | Old English | weġ | way; path; way, road, path |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | weg | way, road |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wēgaz | wave; sea |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵʰ- | to bring; to transport |
via English spill
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | spill | To drop something so that it spreads out or makes... |
| 2 | Middle English | spillen | To slaughter, eliminate; to cause the death of;... |
| 3 | Old English | spillan | to destroy; spill |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | spillijaną | to split |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | spel- | to break; to break off, split; to cleave, break |