Where does “tripwire” come from?
tripwire (English) comes from English wire, from Middle English wir, from Old English wīr, from English myrtle, from Old French myrte, from Latin myrtus, from Ancient Greek μύρτος, from Ancient Greek μυρίκη.
tripwire (English): A cord or wire arranged so that when snagged or...
Definitions
- A cord or wire arranged so that when snagged or...
Ancestry of “tripwire”, step by step
tripwire traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wire
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wire | Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now... |
| 2 | Middle English | wir | — |
| 3 | Old English | wīr | wire, metal thread, wire-ornament |
| 4 | English | myrtle | An evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus... |
| 5 | Old French | myrte | — |
| 6 | Latin | myrtus | myrtle |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | μύρτος | myrtle; twig or spray of myrtle |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | μυρίκη | tamarisk |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | -ίκη | — |