Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “undermaintain” come from?

undermaintain (English) comes from English maintain, from Middle English mayntenen, from Old French maintenir, from Vulgar Latin manuteneo, from Latin manu, from Latin manus, from Proto-Italic manus, from Proto-Indo-European man- — human being; man; hand.

undermaintain (English): To maintain inadequately; to allow to fall into...

Definitions

  1. To maintain inadequately; to allow to fall into...

Ancestry of “undermaintain”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmaintainTo support , to back up or assist in an action;...
2Middle Englishmayntenen—
3Old Frenchmaintenirto maintain
4Vulgar LatinmanuteneoI support, maintain
5Latinmanuablative singular of manus; by hand; with the...
6Latinmanushand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting
7Proto-Italicmanushand
8Proto-Indo-Europeanman-human being; man; hand
Every word from Proto-Indo-European man- →