Where does “waiting room” come from?
waiting room (English) comes from English waiting, from English wait, from Middle English waiten, from Anglo-Norman waiter, from Frankish wahtwēn, from Frankish wahtu, from Proto-Germanic wahtwō, from Proto-Germanic wakaną — lively, awake; strong.
waiting room (English): A room in some public place for people to wait
Definitions
- A room in some public place for people to wait
Ancestry of “waiting room”, step by step
waiting room traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English waiting
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | waiting | present participle of wait; Watching; The act of... |
| 2 | English | wait | To delay movement or action until the arrival or... |
| 3 | Middle English | waiten | to look at, behold |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | waiter | — |
| 5 | Frankish | wahtwēn | to guard, protect; to keep watch |
| 6 | Frankish | wahtu | watch, guard; watch, guard duty, watchtower;... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | wahtwō | watch, vigil |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | wakaną | to wake, be awake, arise |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵ- | lively, awake; strong |
via English room
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | room | Opportunity or scope; Space "for" something, or... |
| 2 | Middle English | roum | A space or area; A room |
| 3 | Old English | rūm | room, space; roomy, spacious, ample, extensive,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | rūm | roomy, spacious; room, open space |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | rūmaz | roomy, spacious, open |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | rewh₁- | free space |