Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tourniquet” come from?

Tourniquet comes from French tourniquet, derived from French tourner and Middle French tourner, from Old French torner, from Latin tornare meaning "to turn," from Latin tornus meaning "lathe," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- meaning "to turn" or "to rub."

tourniquet (English): A tightly-compressed bandage used to stop...

Definitions

  1. A tightly-compressed bandage used to stop...

Ancestry of “tourniquet”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchtourniquetunpowered carousel; revolving door or turnstile
2Frenchtournerto turn; to stir; to tour, to go on tour
3Middle Frenchtournerto turn; to return; to turn into; to change into
4Old Frenchtornerto turn; to return; to go back
5Latintornō—
6LatintornusA turner's wheel, lathe; A potter's wheel
7Ancient GreekτόρνοςA tool similar to a pair of compasses used to...
8Proto-Indo-Europeantorh₂no-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₁-to rub, turn; to drill, pierce
Every word from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- →