Where does “vent-piece” come from?
vent-piece (English) comes from English vent, from French éventer, from Vulgar Latin *exventāre, from Latin ventus, from Proto-Italic wentos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wéh₁n̥ts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wḗh₁ti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂weh₁- — to blow.
vent-piece (English): In a breechloading firearm, a vertical sliding block with a conical plug on its front surface to seal the firing chamber and close the breech
Definitions
- In a breechloading firearm, a vertical sliding block with a conical plug on its front surface to seal the firing chamber and close the breech
Ancestry of “vent-piece”, step by step
vent-piece traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English vent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | vent | An opening through which gases, especially air,... |
| 2 | French | éventer | to air, ventilate; to fan; to expose to the wind |
| 3 | Vulgar Latin | *exventāre | — |
| 4 | Latin | ventus | a wind; arrival |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | wentos | wind |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wéh₁n̥ts | blowing; that which blows; the wind, air |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wḗh₁ti | to blow |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂weh₁- | to blow |
via English piece
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | piece | A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form... |
| 2 | Middle English | pece | piece; morsel; bit |
| 3 | Old French | piece | piece, bit, part; circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 5 | Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 6 | Gaulish | pettyā | — |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | kʷezdis | piece, portion |