Where does “underwage” come from?

underwage (English) comes from English wage, from Middle English wage, from Anglo-Norman wage, from Old Norse vágr, from Proto-Germanic wēgaz, from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- — to bring; to transport.

underwage (English): An unsufficient wage

Definitions

  1. An unsufficient wage

Ancestry of “underwage”, step by step

underwage traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English wage

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwageAn amount of money paid to a worker for a...
2Middle EnglishwageA wage; earnings; Money reserved for the payment...
3Anglo-Normanwagewave; Alternative form of gage
4Old Norsevágrocean, sea; inlet, bay
5Proto-Germanicwēgazwave; sea
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport

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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ-