Where does “stairway” come from?
Stairway comes from English way and away, from Old English weġ, from Proto-Germanic wēgō, from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ-, meaning to move or convey.
stairway (English): A set of steps, with or without a case, that...
Definitions
- A set of steps, with or without a case, that...
Ancestry of “stairway”, step by step
stairway 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 stair
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | stair | A single step in a staircase; A series of steps;... |
| 2 | Middle English | steire | staircase, stairs; stair, step; ladder |
| 3 | Old English | stǣġer | stair, staircase |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | staigriz | scaffold, platform; stairs |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | steyǵʰ- | to go |
Words derived from “stairway”