Where does “thunderbox” come from?

thunderbox (English) comes from English box, from French boxer, from French -er, from English -er, from Middle English -er, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō — he, she.

thunderbox (English): A close-stool, a stool enclosing a chamber pot;...

Definitions

  1. A close-stool, a stool enclosing a chamber pot;...

Ancestry of “thunderbox”, step by step

thunderbox traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English box

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishboxSenses relating to a three-dimensional object or...
2Frenchboxerboxer; boxer shorts, boxers; to box
3French-erForms infinitives of first-conjugation verbs
4English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
5Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
6Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
7Latin-ārefirst conjugation
8Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
9Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
10Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
11Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
12Chichewaiyehe, she

via English thunder

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishthunderThe loud rumbling, cracking, or crashing sound...
2Middle EnglishthunderAlternative form of thonder
3Old EnglishÞunorthe Anglo-Saxon god of thunder, equivalent to Old Norse Þórr and Old High German Donar
4Proto-West Germanicþunrthunder
5Proto-GermanicÞunrazThor, god of thunder
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ten-to thunder, rustle, rumble, drone, groan; to...

via Dutch donderbus

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchdonderbusblunderbuss
2Middle Dutchdonrebusse
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from English -erEvery word from French -er