Where does “universal grinder” come from?

universal grinder (English) comes from English universal, from Middle English universal, from Old French universal, from Latin universalis, from Latin ūniversus, from Latin versus, from Latin vertō, from Proto-Italic wertō — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

universal grinder (English): A mechanism whereby countable nouns are made...

Definitions

  1. A mechanism whereby countable nouns are made...

Ancestry of “universal grinder”, step by step

universal grinder traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English universal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishuniversalOf or pertaining to the universe; Common to all...
2Middle Englishuniversalall-encompassing, subject to everything and...
3Old Frenchuniversaluniversal
4Latinuniversalisuniversal; general
5Latinūniversuswhole, entire, taken collectively or altogether
6Latinversusturned, changed, having been turned; towards,...
7Latinvertōto turn, turn oneself, direct one's way, to turn about, turn around, revolve
8Proto-Italicwertōto turn
9Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
10Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

via English grinder

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgrinderOne who grinds something, such as the teeth; A...
2Middle Englishgrinder
3Old Englishgrindereone who or that which grinds, especially corn or...
4Old English-eremasculine agent suffix, originally applied only...
5Proto-West Germanic-ārī-er
6Proto-Germanic-ārijaz-er
7Latin-āriuser
8Proto-Italic*-āziosForms relational adjectives to nouns (and rarely numerals)
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wert-Every word from Proto-Italic wertō
universal grinder — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer