Where does “untreadable” come from?

untreadable (English) comes from English treadable, from English tread, from Middle English treden, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz — adjectival suffix.

untreadable (English): Not treadable; that cannot be trodden

Definitions

  1. Not treadable; that cannot be trodden

Ancestry of “untreadable”, step by step

untreadable traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English treadable

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtreadableAble to be trodden
2EnglishtreadTo step or walk (on or across something); to trample
3Middle EnglishtredenTo place one's foot on something; to lay a step...
4Middle English-enDenotes the past participle form when attached to...
5Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
6Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
7Proto-Norse-īna-
8Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
9Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
10Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

via English un

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunOne
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no-