Where does “towpath” come from?

towpath (English) comes from English path, from Middle English path, from Old English pæþ, from Proto-West Germanic paþ, from Proto-Germanic paþaz, from Proto-Iranian pántaHh, from Proto-Indo-Iranian pántaHs, from Proto-Indo-European pent- — to pass; path.

towpath (English): a path alongside a canal or river, originally for...

Definitions

  1. a path alongside a canal or river, originally for...

Ancestry of “towpath”, step by step

towpath traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English path

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpathA trail for the use of, or worn by, pedestrians;...
2Middle EnglishpathAn informal or unpaved path or trail; a track; A...
3Old Englishpæþpath
4Proto-West Germanicpaþpath
5Proto-Germanicpaþazpath
6Proto-IranianpántaHh—
7Proto-Indo-IranianpántaHspath
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpent-to pass; path

via English tow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtowTo pull something behind one using a line or...
2Middle Englishtowen—
3Old Englishtogianto tow
4Proto-Germanictugōnąto pull, tow
5Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pent- →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian pántaHs →Every word from Proto-Iranian pántaHh →