Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tautly” come from?

tautly (English) comes from English taut, from Middle English taught, from Old English tēon, from Old English tēohan, from Proto-West Germanic teuhan, from Proto-Germanic teuhaną, from Proto-Indo-European dewk- — to pull, to draw; to lead.

tautly (English): In a taut manner, tightly, tensely

Definitions

  1. In a taut manner, tightly, tensely

Ancestry of “tautly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtautUnder tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope,...
2Middle Englishtaught—
3Old Englishtēonto drag, draw, pull; to train, discipline; to...
4Old Englishtēohan—
5Proto-West Germanicteuhanto pull; to lead
6Proto-Germanicteuhanąto lead; to pull behind oneself, draw, drag
7Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewk- →