Where does “turndown” come from?

turndown (English) comes from English down, from Middle English doune, from Old English dūne, from Old English adūne, from Old English ofdūne, from Old English dūn, from Proto-Germanic *dūnā, from Proto-Celtic dūnom — smoke; mist, haze.

turndown (English): A downturn; A rejection; The service of turning...

Definitions

  1. A downturn; A rejection; The service of turning...

Ancestry of “turndown”, step by step

turndown traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English down

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdownFrom a higher position to a lower one; downwards;...
2Middle Englishdoune
3Old Englishdūnehill; down, downward
4Old Englishadūne
5Old Englishofdūneoff the hill; down
6Old Englishdūnhill, down; hill, dune; hill, mountain
7Proto-Germanic*dūnā
8Proto-Celticdūnomstronghold, rampart
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

via English turn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishturn"to make a non-linear physical movement."; "To...
2Middle Englishturnento turn
3Old Frenchtornerto turn; to return; to go back
4Latintornōto turn
5LatintornusA turner's wheel, lathe; A potter's wheel
6Ancient GreekτόρνοςA tool similar to a pair of compasses used to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeantorh₂no-
8Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₁-to rub, turn; to drill, pierce
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂-Every word from Proto-Celtic dūnomEvery word from Proto-Germanic *dūnā