Where does “tableland” come from?

Tableland derives from English table and land, with table from Middle English tabil, Old French table, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European lendʰ-.

tableland (English): A relatively flat region of terrain, particularly...

Definitions

  1. A relatively flat region of terrain, particularly...

Ancestry of “tableland”, step by step

tableland traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English table

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtableFurniture with a top surface to accommodate a...
2Middle EnglishtableA table; A level writing surface; Any level...
3Old Frenchtabletable
4Latintabulatablet, sometimes a tablet covered with wax for...
5Proto-Italic*taðlāboard

via English Land

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLandThe part of Earth which is not covered by oceans or other bodies of water
2Middle EnglishlandAlternative form of lond; urine
3Old Englishhlandurine
4Proto-Germanichlandąurine
5Proto-Indo-Europeanklān-liquid, wet ground
Every word from Proto-Italic *taðlā