Where does “uplift” come from?

Uplift comes from Middle English up- combined with lift, which derives from Old Norse lypta, from Proto-Germanic luftijaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European lew-, meaning to break off or separate.

uplift (English): To raise something or someone to a higher...

Definitions

  1. To raise something or someone to a higher...

Ancestry of “uplift”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishup-Used to indicate increase; Used to indicate...
2Middle Englishup-—
3Old Englishūp-up-
4Old Englishūpup, from above
5Proto-Germanicuppup, upwards
6Proto-Germanicubunder
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—

Words derived from “uplift”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European upó →Every word from Proto-Germanic ub →