Where does “underkeeper” come from?

underkeeper (English) comes from English under, from Middle English under, from Old English under, from Proto-Germanic under, from Proto-Indo-European h₁entér, from Proto-Indo-European h₁en — in; in, inside.

underkeeper (English): A subordinate keeper or guardian

Definitions

  1. A subordinate keeper or guardian

Ancestry of “underkeeper”, step by step

underkeeper traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English under

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunderIn or at a lower level than; As a subject of;...
2Middle Englishunderunder
3Old Englishunderunder, beneath
4Proto-Germanicunderamong, between; under, beneath; under
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside

via English keeper

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkeeperOne who keeps something; A person or thing worth...
2Middle Englishkepere—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁en →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁entér →Every word from Proto-Germanic under →