Where does “tram” come from?
tram (French) comes from French tramway, from English tramway, from English tram, from Low German traam, from Middle High German troum, from Old High German troum, from Proto-West Germanic draum, from Proto-Germanic draumaz — to support; to hold.
tram (French): tram , streetcar
Ancestry of “tram”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | tramway | tram |
| 2 | English | tramway | The track on which a tram runs; The system of... |
| 3 | English | tram | A passenger vehicle for public use that runs on... |
| 4 | Low German | traam | tram, shaft of a barrow |
| 5 | Middle High German | troum | — |
| 6 | Old High German | troum | — |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | draum | dream |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | draumaz | dream |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | draugmaz | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰrowgʰ-mos | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰrewgʰ- | to deceive, to mislead; to serve one's tribe;... |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |