Where does “tram” come from?

Tram comes from Low German traam, from Latin trama meaning weft or crossthread, from Proto-Indo-European tragʰ-.

tram (English): A passenger vehicle for public use that runs on...

Definitions

  1. A passenger vehicle for public use that runs on...

Ancestry of “tram”, step by step

tram traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Low German traam

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Low Germantraamtram, shaft of a barrow
2Middle High Germantroumdream
3Old High Germantroum—
4Proto-West Germanicdraumdream
5Proto-Germanicdraumazdream
6Proto-Germanicdraugmaz—
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰrowgʰ-mos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰrewgʰ-to deceive, to mislead; to serve one's tribe;...
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

via French trame

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchtrameweft; frame; screentone
2Old Frenchtraime—
3Latintramawoof, weft; A lean, lanky person
4Latintrahōto drag, pull
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreǵʰ-to drag, draw, pull; to draw, drag

via Spanish trama

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishtramaweave, weft; plot; grid

Words derived from “tram”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰrewgʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰrowgʰ-mos →