Where does “thumbholer” come from?

thumbholer (English) comes from English thumbhole, from English hole, from Middle English hole, from Old English hol, from Proto-West Germanic hol, from Proto-Germanic hulą, from Proto-Germanic hulaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

thumbholer (English): A person or machine that cuts thumbholes (for carrying) in the lids of boxes

Definitions

  1. A person or machine that cuts thumbholes (for carrying) in the lids of boxes

Ancestry of “thumbholer”, step by step

thumbholer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English thumbhole

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishthumbholeA hole designed to receive a thumb
2EnglishholeA hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
3Middle Englishholehealthy; safe; whole, complete, full
4Old Englishhola hole, a hollow; calumny; slander
5Proto-West Germanicholhollow; hole
6Proto-Germanichuląa hollow; depression; hole
7Proto-Germanichulazhollow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

via English ER

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishERThe statistic "Earned Run"; Initialism of...
2Turkisherearly; brave; man, male
3Ottoman Turkishایرsaddle, a seat for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal
4Old Anatolian Turkishایرearly, at a time in advance of the usual or expected event
5Proto-Turkicēdersaddle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel-Every word from Proto-Germanic hulazEvery word from Proto-Germanic hulą
thumbholer — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer