Where does “topliner” come from?

topliner (English) comes from English topline, from English line, from Middle English line, from Old English līne, from Proto-West Germanic *līnā, from Proto-Germanic līnǭ, from Proto-Germanic līną, from Proto-Indo-European līno- — flax.

topliner (English): One who is billed as the primary entertainer; One...

Definitions

  1. One who is billed as the primary entertainer; One...

Ancestry of “topliner”, step by step

topliner traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English topline

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtoplineThe upper curvature of a horse's or dog's...
2EnglishlineA path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight
3Middle Englishlinerope, cord; line, rule, ruler, measure; rule,...
4Old Englishlīneline, rope, cord; line, cable, rope, hawser,...
5Proto-West Germanic*līnāline, chord, rope, string
6Proto-Germaniclīnǭthat which is made of flax; line, chord, rope,...
7Proto-Germaniclīnąflax
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlīno-flax

via English ER

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishERThe statistic "Earned Run"; Initialism of...
2Turkisherearly; brave; man, male
3Ottoman Turkishایرsaddle, a seat for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal
4Old Anatolian Turkishایرearly, at a time in advance of the usual or expected event
5Proto-Turkicēdersaddle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European līno-Every word from Proto-Germanic līnąEvery word from Proto-Germanic līnǭ