Where does “turnstile” come from?
Turnstile combines English turn from Latin tornare and English stile from Latin stilus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European steygʰ- meaning to stick or pierce.
turnstile (English): A rotating mechanical device that controls and...
Definitions
- A rotating mechanical device that controls and...
Ancestry of “turnstile”, step by step
turnstile traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English turn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | turn | "to make a non-linear physical movement."; "To... |
| 2 | Middle English | turnen | to turn |
| 3 | Old French | torner | to turn; to return; to go back |
| 4 | Latin | tornō | to turn |
| 5 | Latin | tornus | A turner's wheel, lathe; A potter's wheel |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | τόρνος | A tool similar to a pair of compasses used to... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | torh₂no- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | terh₁- | to rub, turn; to drill, pierce |
via English stile
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | stile | A set of one or more steps surmounting a fence or... |
| 2 | Middle English | stile | stile; A rung or bar of a ladder; A stylus, pen,... |
| 3 | Old English | stiġel | stile, set of steps for getting over a fence |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *stigilu | a device used for climbing (over); stile |