Where does “tread” come from?
Tread comes from Middle English treden, derived from Proto-Indo-European dreu- meaning to run or move quickly, with the verbal suffix -en.
tread (English): To step or walk (on or across something); to trample
Definitions
- To step or walk (on or across something); to trample
Ancestry of “tread”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | treden | To place one's foot on something; to lay a step... |
| 2 | Middle English | -en | Denotes the past participle form when attached to... |
| 3 | Old English | -en | mæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;... |
| 4 | Old Norse | -inn | Used to create adjectives from nouns, meaning... |
| 5 | Proto-Norse | -īna- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -īnaz | -en |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |