Where does “waverider” come from?

waverider (English) comes from English rīder, from English boardrider, from English rider, from Middle English ridere, from Middle English ryder, from Old English rīdere, from Old English rīdan, from Proto-West Germanic rīdan — to fit, to fix, to put together.

waverider (English): A hypersonic aircraft that improves its supersonic lift-to-drag ratio by using the shock waves generated by its own flight as a lifting surface

Definitions

  1. A hypersonic aircraft that improves its supersonic lift-to-drag ratio by using the shock waves generated by its own flight as a lifting surface

Ancestry of “waverider”, step by step

waverider traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English rīder

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishrīder
2Englishboardridersurfer
3EnglishriderOne who rides, often on a horse or a motorcycle;...
4Middle EnglishridereAlternative form of ryder
5Middle EnglishryderA rider or equestrian; one who rides a horse; A...
6Old Englishrīdererider, knight
7Old Englishrīdanto ride
8Proto-West Germanicrīdanto ride
9Proto-Germanicrīdanąto ride
10Proto-Indo-Europeanrēydʰ-
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

via English wave

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwaveTo move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat...
2Middle EnglishwaweA wave; Any sort of flowing or spurting motion;...
3Old Englishwǣġa weight; a tool for weighing, balance, scale
4Proto-Germanicwēgazwave; sea
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er-Every word from Proto-Indo-European rēydʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic rīdaną