Where does “underarm” come from?

Underarm comes from Middle English under- combined with Old English earm, which derives from Proto-Germanic *armaz, itself from Latin arma meaning weapons or tools, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- meaning to fit or join.

underarm (English): The armpit; Old-fashioned and now outlawed style...

Definitions

  1. The armpit; Old-fashioned and now outlawed style...

Ancestry of “underarm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishunder-Beneath, under
2EnglishunderIn or at a lower level than; As a subject of;...
3Middle Englishunderunder
4Old Englishunderunder, beneath
5Proto-Germanicunderamong, between; under, beneath; under
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁en →