Where does “train oil” come from?

train oil (English) comes from English train, from Middle English train, from Old French train, from Old French traïner, from Vulgar Latin traginare, from Latin tragēre, from Latin trahere, from Latin traho — to run.

train oil (English): whale oil

Definitions

  1. whale oil

Ancestry of “train oil”, step by step

train oil traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English train

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtrainElongated portion; Connected sequence of people...
2Middle Englishtrain
3Old Frenchtraina delay, a drawing out
4Old FrenchtraïnerAlternative form of trainer; to pull out, to draw
5Vulgar Latintraginarepresent active infinitive of *traginō
6Latintragēre
7Latintraheresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8LatintrahoI drag, pull; I trail; I extract, withdraw
9Proto-Italictraɣō
10Proto-Indo-Europeantregʰ-to drag, pull?; to run, walk
11Proto-Indo-Europeandʰregʰ-to run

via Dutch traanolie

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchtraanoliefish oil
2Dutcholieoil
3Middle Dutchōlieoil
4Old Dutcholig
5Latinoleumolive oil; the palaestra
6Ancient Greekἔλαιονolive oil, commonly used as an anointing oil; any...
7Ancient Greekἐλαίαolive tree; olive; naevus
8Proto-Hellenicelaíwā
9Proto-Indo-Europeanloiwom

via English oil

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoilLiquid fat; Petroleum-based liquid used as fuel...
2Middle EnglishoyleThe oil pressed from olives; olive oil; Oil as...
3Old Frenchoileoil
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰregʰ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European tregʰ-Every word from Proto-Italic traɣō