Where does “drift” come from?

drift (Icelandic) comes from Old Norse dript, from Proto-Germanic driftiz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

drift (Icelandic): snowdrift

Definitions

  1. snowdrift

Ancestry of “drift”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsedript—
2Proto-Germanicdriftizdriving
3Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
4Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic driftiz →