Where does “surefooted” come from?
surefooted (English) comes from English sure, from Middle English sure, from Middle French sur, from Old French seür, from Latin super, from Latin eks-uper, from Proto-Indo-European upéri, from Proto-Indo-European upér.
surefooted (English): Walking steadily, without stumbling; capable of...
Definitions
- Walking steadily, without stumbling; capable of...
Ancestry of “surefooted”, step by step
surefooted traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English sure
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sure | Physically secure and certain, non-failing,... |
| 2 | Middle English | sure | safe, protected; fortified, well-defended,... |
| 3 | Middle French | sur | — |
| 4 | Old French | seür | Alternative form of seur; sure |
| 5 | Latin | super | "accusative" above, on the top of, upon;... |
| 6 | Latin | eks-uper | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upéri | alternative reconstruction of *upér |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |
via English footed
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | footed | simple past tense and past participle of foot;... |
| 2 | Middle English | foted | Having a type or number of feet; footed;... |
| 3 | Middle English | fot | foot; The bottom, lower part or foundation of... |
| 4 | Old English | fōt | foot |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | fōt | foot |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | fōts | foot |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pṓds | foot |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | póds | foot |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ped- | to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall |