Where does “trailer” come from?

trailer (Indonesian) comes from Dutch trailer, from English trailer, from English trail, from Middle English trailen, from Old French trailler, from Vulgar Latin tragulare, from Latin trāgula — a javelin or dart having a throwing-strap (āmentum).

trailer (Indonesian): semi-trailer

Definitions

  1. semi-trailer

Ancestry of “trailer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchtrailertrailer (unpowered vehicle towed behind another)
2EnglishtrailerSomeone who or something that trails; Part of an...
3EnglishtrailTo follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something)
4Middle Englishtrailento hang loosely, drag along, drag away
5Old Frenchtraillerto tow; pick up the scent of a quarry
6Vulgar Latintragulareto drag
7Latintrāgulaa javelin or dart having a throwing-strap (āmentum)
Every word from Latin trāgula