Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “toe” come from?

Toe comes from Middle English to, from Old English tō, from Latin te, from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ-, meaning to point or show.

toe (English): Each of the five digits on the end of the foot;...

Definitions

  1. Each of the five digits on the end of the foot;...

Ancestry of “toe”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishtotoe; to; too
2Middle Englishtonethe one
3LatintonusThe stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;...
4Ancient Greekτόνοςrope, cord; chord; tone, note
5Proto-Hellenictónosrope, cord; tension
6Proto-Indo-Europeantónossomething stretched; chord, fiber, string
7Proto-Indo-Europeanten-to stretch, to extend

Words derived from “toe”

  • toes
  • tiptoe
  • toed
  • tiptoeing
  • toenail
  • toehold
  • toeless
  • hammertoe
  • pettitoes
  • toey
  • toecap
  • toeboard
  • pussytoes
  • toerag
  • toebox
  • toesies
  • atiptoe
  • toeprint
  • toeside
  • intoed
  • toepiece
  • squaretoes
  • toelike
  • toepad
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ten- →