Where does “windward” come from?
Windward derives from Old English -weard (direction) combined with Old English windan, tracing through Proto-Indo-European wert- and ultimately h₂weh₁- (to turn).
windward (English): Towards the wind, or the direction from which the...
Definitions
- Towards the wind, or the direction from which the...
Ancestry of “windward”, step by step
| 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 |