Where does “touchdown” come from?
touchdown (Spanish) comes from English touchdown, from English touch, from Middle English touchen, from Old French tochier, from Vulgar Latin tucco, from Frankish tukkōn, from Proto-Germanic tukkōną, from Proto-Indo-European dewk- — to pull, to draw; to lead.
touchdown (Spanish): touchdown
Ancestry of “touchdown”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | touchdown | A six-point score occurring when the ball enters... |
| 2 | English | touch | Primarily physical senses; Primarily non-physical... |
| 3 | Middle English | touchen | to touch |
| 4 | Old French | tochier | to touch |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | tucco | to knock, strike, offend; to strike; to touch; I... |
| 6 | Frankish | tukkōn | to knock, strike, touch; to touch, hit; to touch |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | tukkōną | to tug, pull; to grab, snatch; to grasp, touch |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dewk- | to pull, to draw; to lead |