Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “touchdown” come from?

Touchdown derives from English touch and down, where down comes from Middle English doun, Old English dūn, Proto-Celtic dūnom, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European dewk-.

touchdown (English): A six-point score occurring when the ball enters...

Definitions

  1. A six-point score occurring when the ball enters...

Ancestry of “touchdown”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtouchPrimarily physical senses; Primarily non-physical...
2Middle Englishtouchento touch
3Old Frenchtochierto touch
4Vulgar Latintuccoto knock, strike, offend; to strike; to touch; I...
5Frankishtukkōnto knock, strike, touch; to touch, hit; to touch
6Proto-Germanictukkōnąto tug, pull; to grab, snatch; to grasp, touch
7Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead

Words derived from “touchdown”

  • nontouchdown
  • touchdown
  • タッチダウン
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewk- →