Where does “toothpaste” come from?
Toothpaste derives from English tooth combined with paste, which comes from Middle English paste, from Ancient Greek παστά (pastá), from παστός (pastós), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed-, meaning to eat.
toothpaste (English): A paste, normally used with a toothbrush, for...
Definitions
- A paste, normally used with a toothbrush, for...
Ancestry of “toothpaste”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | tooth | A hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth... |
| 2 | Middle English | toth | Alternative form of tothe |
| 3 | Old English | tōþ | tooth |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | tanþs | tooth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃dónts | tooth |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ed- | to eat |
Words derived from “toothpaste”