Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “underwater” come from?

Underwater comes from English water closet and English under, which derive from Proto-Germanic under and Proto-Indo-European n̥dʰér, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wed- meaning water.

underwater (English): beneath the surface of the water, or of or...

Definitions

  1. beneath the surface of the water, or of or...

Ancestry of “underwater”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwaterA substance found at room temperature and...
2Middle Englishwaterwater; water vapour, condensation; lake, pond,...
3Old Englishwæterwater
4Proto-West Germanicwatarwater
5Proto-Germanicwatōrwater
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwódr̥water
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwed-water
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wey- →