Where does “tailspin” come from?
Tailspin comes from English tail and Middle English spinnen, from Old English spinnan, from Proto-Germanic spinnaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to turn or rotate.
tailspin (English): The rapid, uncontrollable descent of an aircraft...
Definitions
- The rapid, uncontrollable descent of an aircraft...
Ancestry of “tailspin”, step by step
tailspin traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English spin
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | spin | To rotate, revolve, gyrate (usually quickly); to partially or completely rotate to face another direction |
| 2 | Middle English | spinnen | To spin or convert fibre into yarn; To make... |
| 3 | Old English | spinnan | to spin |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | spinnaną | to spin |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)pénh₁-ne- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)penh₁- | to twist; to weave |
via English Tail
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Tail | A Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon |
| 2 | Middle English | tayl | A tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A... |
| 3 | Old English | tæġl | tail |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | taglą | hair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | doḱ- | hair of the tail |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱ- | take; perceive |