Where does “teamwork” come from?
Teamwork comes from team, from Middle English tēam, from Old English tēam meaning offspring or lineage, from Latin thema, from Ancient Greek θέμα meaning something placed or laid down, from τίθημι meaning to place or put.
teamwork (English): The cooperative effort of a team of people to...
Definitions
- The cooperative effort of a team of people to...
Ancestry of “teamwork”, step by step
teamwork traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English work
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | work | "Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to... |
| 2 | Middle English | werk | work |
| 3 | Old English | weorc | work, in various senses, including |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | werk | work |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | werką | work |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wérǵom | work |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | werǵ- | to make |
via English team
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | team | A set of draught animals, such as two horses in... |
| 2 | Middle English | tem | Alternative form of teme; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Old English | tēam | team; child-bearing, offspring, brood, set of... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *taum | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | taumaz | a tie; tether; rope; cord; strap; leash; bridle;... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | taugijaną | to stretch, draw |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dewk- | to pull, to draw; to lead |