Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “traversing” come from?

Traversing comes from Middle English traversen, from Old French traverser, from Latin versus (turned), derived from Latin vertere (to turn), which traces back to Proto-Indo-European wer- (to turn or rotate).

traversing (English): present participle of traverse; A traversal

Definitions

  1. present participle of traverse; A traversal

Ancestry of “traversing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtraverseA route used in mountaineering, specifically rock...
2Middle Englishtraversen—
3Old Frenchtraverserto traverse; to cross; to go across
4Latintrāns—
5LatinPadus—
6LeponticBodincus—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰmḗnbottom
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “traversing”

  • nontraversing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →