Where does “trunkline” come from?

trunkline (English) comes from English line, from Middle English line, from Old English līne, from Proto-West Germanic *līnā, from Proto-Germanic līnǭ, from Proto-Germanic līną, from Proto-Indo-European līno- — flax.

trunkline (English): Any road under the jurisdiction of the Michigan...

Definitions

  1. Any road under the jurisdiction of the Michigan...

Ancestry of “trunkline”, step by step

trunkline traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English line

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlineA path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight
2Middle Englishlinerope, cord; line, rule, ruler, measure; rule,...
3Old Englishlīneline, rope, cord; line, cable, rope, hawser,...
4Proto-West Germanic*līnāline, chord, rope, string
5Proto-Germaniclīnǭthat which is made of flax; line, chord, rope,...
6Proto-Germaniclīnąflax
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlīno-flax

via English trunk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishtrunk"Part of a body."; "A container."; "A channel for...
2Middle EnglishtronkeA large chest or storage container; A container...
3Old Frenchtroncalms box, tree trunk, headless body; trunk
4Latintruncuslopped, docked; maimed, mangled, mutilated; A...
5Proto-Indo-Europeantwerḱ-to carve, cut off, trim
Every word from Proto-Indo-European līno-Every word from Proto-Germanic līnąEvery word from Proto-Germanic līnǭ