Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “top-level” come from?

top-level (English) comes from English level, from Middle English level, from Old French livel, from Latin lībella, from Latin lībra, from Ancient Greek ζυγόν, from Proto-Hellenic dzugón, from Proto-Indo-European yugóm — to join, to yoke, to tie together.

top-level (English): Highest; Best; read-eval-print loop

Definitions

  1. Highest; Best; read-eval-print loop

Ancestry of “top-level”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlevelThe same height at all places; parallel to a flat...
2Middle Englishlevel—
3Old Frenchlivel—
4Latinlībella—
5Latinlībra—
6Ancient Greekζυγόνyoke, for joining animals; yoke, burden; in...
7Proto-Hellenicdzugónyoke
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyugómyoke
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyewg-to join, to yoke, to tie together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yewg- →