Where does “topflight” come from?

topflight (English) comes from English flight, from Middle English flight, from Old English flyht, from Proto-West Germanic *fluhtī, from Proto-Germanic *fluhtiją, from Proto-Germanic flehtaną, from Proto-Indo-European pleḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European pel- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.

topflight (English): best, A-one, superior

Definitions

  1. best, A-one, superior

Ancestry of “topflight”, step by step

topflight traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English flight

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishflightThe act of flying; An instance of flying; The act...
2Middle Englishflightflight (act of flying)
3Old Englishflyhtflight
4Proto-West Germanic*fluhtīact of flying, flight
5Proto-Germanic*fluhtiją
6Proto-Germanicflehtanąto plait, to weave
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpleḱ-to fold, plait, weave
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

via English top

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtopThe highest or uppermost part of something; A...
2Middle EnglishtopThe summit or top of something, especially a...
3Old Englishtopptop, summit (of something)
4Proto-West Germanic*topptop, summit, crest
5Proto-Germanictuppaztuft, plait; top, summit
6Proto-Indo-Europeandumb-tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel-