Where does “windchill” come from?
windchill (English) comes from English chill, from Middle English ichille, from Middle English Will, from Middle English William, from Anglo-Norman Willame, from Old High German Willahelm, from Old High German helm, from Proto-West Germanic helm — to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab.
windchill (English): The still-air temperature equivalent to a given...
Definitions
- The still-air temperature equivalent to a given...
Ancestry of “windchill”, step by step
windchill traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English chill
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | chill | A moderate, but uncomfortable and penetrating... |
| 2 | Middle English | ichille | I will |
| 3 | Middle English | Will | — |
| 4 | Middle English | William | — |
| 5 | Anglo-Norman | Willame | — |
| 6 | Old High German | Willahelm | William |
| 7 | Old High German | helm | helmet |
| 8 | Proto-West Germanic | helm | helmet |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | helmaz | helmet |
| 10 | Proto-Germanic | halmaz | halm; stem; stalk; straw; hay |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱolh₂mos | stalk |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₂- | to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab |
via English wind
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wind | Real or perceived movement of atmospheric air... |
| 2 | English | farm | A place where agricultural and similar activities... |
| 3 | Middle English | ferme | A lease; the renting of land |
| 4 | Old French | ferme | lease; the land leased; farm |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | ferma | Alternative form of firma |
| 6 | Latin | Firma | tax, tribute |
| 7 | Latin | Firmus | strong, powerful |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | fermos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer-mo-s | holding |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |