Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tab” come from?

Tab comes from English table, which derives from Latin tabula meaning a flat surface or board, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European teh₂-.

tab (English): A small flap or strip of material attached to...

Definitions

  1. A small flap or strip of material attached to...

Ancestry of “tab”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtablatureA form of musical notation indicating fingering...
2Italiantavolatura—
3Latintabulatura—
4Latintabulatablet, sometimes a tablet covered with wax for...
5Proto-Italic*taðlā—

Words derived from “tab”

  • tabbed
  • subtab
  • multitabbed
  • multitab
  • tablike
  • untabbed
  • tabless
  • backtab
  • untabification
  • tabbable
  • tabnabbing
  • nontabbed
  • tabify
  • untabify
  • tabification
Every word from Proto-Italic *taðlā →