Where does “trailer” come from?

trailer (Portuguese) comes 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 (Portuguese): trailer short preview of a film

Definitions

  1. trailer short preview of a film

Ancestry of “trailer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtrailerSomeone who or something that trails; Part of an...
2EnglishtrailTo follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something)
3Middle Englishtrailento hang loosely, drag along, drag away
4Old Frenchtraillerto tow; pick up the scent of a quarry
5Vulgar Latintragulareto drag
6Latintrāgulaa javelin or dart having a throwing-strap (āmentum)
Every word from Latin trāgula
trailer — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer