Where does “Waterloo” come from?

Waterloo (French) comes from Middle Dutch loo, from Old Dutch lō, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.

Waterloo (French): the site of a major military battle in 1815

Definitions

  1. the site of a major military battle in 1815

Ancestry of “Waterloo”, step by step

Waterloo traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle Dutch loo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchloosacred wood, forest; forest, thicket
2Old Dutchlōforest
3Proto-West Germaniclauhclearing; meadow
4Proto-Germaniclauhazclearing; meadow
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlówkosclearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

via Middle Dutch water

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchwaterwater
2Old Dutchwatarwater
3Proto-West Germanicwatarwater
4Proto-Germanicwatōrwater
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwódr̥water
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwed-water
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk- →