Where does “downtown” come from?
downtown (Italian) comes from English downtown, from English town, from Middle English toun, from Middle English ende, from Old English ende, from Proto-Germanic andi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts — on, onto.
downtown (Italian): downtown financial district
Definitions
- downtown financial district
Ancestry of “downtown”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | downtown | of, relating to, or situated in the central... |
| 2 | English | town | A settlement; an area with residential districts,... |
| 3 | Middle English | toun | town |
| 4 | Middle English | ende | The end or finishing of a thing; the terminal... |
| 5 | Old English | ende | end, limit, border, corner |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |