Where does “webfirst” come from?

webfirst (English) comes from English Web, from Middle English webbe, from Old English webba, from Old English -a, from Proto-Germanic -ō, from Proto-Germanic -ô, from Proto-Indo-European -ō — Derives nouns from roots.

webfirst (English): initially published on the World Wide Web

Definitions

  1. initially published on the World Wide Web

Ancestry of “webfirst”, step by step

webfirst traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Web

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWebThe World Wide Web
2Middle EnglishwebbeWeaved fabric; fabric manufactured by weaving; A...
3Old Englishwebbaweaver
4Old English-aEnding forming adverbs; nominative masculine...
5Proto-Germanic-ōCreates feminine nouns from roots and stems
6Proto-Germanic-ô-ly; Forms agent nouns, often from the zero-grade...
7Proto-Indo-European-ōDerives nouns from roots

via English First

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishFirstPreceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest
2Middle Englishfirstfirst
3Old EnglishfyrstAlternative form of fierst; Alternative form of...
4Proto-Germanicfrestaz—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpres-to press
6Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ō →Every word from Proto-Germanic -ô →Every word from Old English -a →