Where does “trailhand” come from?

trailhand (English) comes from English Hand, from Middle English hond, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic handu, from Swedish hand, from Old Swedish hand, from Old Norse hǫnd, from Proto-Germanic handuz — hand.

trailhand (English): A cowboy or skilled horseman who routinely rides...

Definitions

  1. A cowboy or skilled horseman who routinely rides...

Ancestry of “trailhand”, step by step

trailhand traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Hand

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHandThe part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals
2Middle Englishhondhand; Alternative form of hound
3Old EnglishhandA hand
4Proto-West Germanichanduhand
5SwedishhandA hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player
6Old SwedishhandA hand; A direction; A behalf
7Old Norsehǫndhand
8Proto-Germanichanduzhand

via English trail

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtrailTo follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something)
2Middle Englishtrailento hang loosely, drag along, drag away
3Old Frenchtraillerto tow; pick up the scent of a quarry
4Vulgar Latintragulareto drag
5Latintrāgulaa javelin or dart having a throwing-strap (āmentum)
Every word from Proto-Germanic handuz