Where does “zebra crossing” come from?
zebra crossing (English) comes from English zebra, from Italian zebra, from Portuguese zebra, from Old Portuguese enzebro, from Old Portuguese cebrario, from Vulgar Latin eciferus, from Latin equiferus, from Latin equus — swift.
zebra crossing (English): A pedestrian crossing featuring broad white...
Definitions
- A pedestrian crossing featuring broad white...
Ancestry of “zebra crossing”, step by step
zebra crossing traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English zebra
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | zebra | Any of three species of genus "Equus": "E.... |
| 2 | Italian | zebra | zebra; zebra crossing |
| 3 | Portuguese | zebra | zebra |
| 4 | Old Portuguese | enzebro | — |
| 5 | Old Portuguese | cebrario | — |
| 6 | Vulgar Latin | eciferus | fool, wild ass, donkey; wild horse |
| 7 | Latin | equiferus | wild horse |
| 8 | Latin | equus | a horse; a steed, charger |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | ekwos | horse |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁éḱwos | stallion, horse |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁oh₁ḱu- | swift |
via English crossing
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | crossing | An intersection where roads, lines, or tracks... |