English
flotage
Flotage comes from Old French flotage ‘act of diverting water from a river to a…’, from floter ‘to float’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *plew- ‘to fly, flow, run’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*plew-‘to fly, flow, run’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*flutōną‘to float, swim’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*flotōn‘to float, swim’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400floter‘to float’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400flotage‘act of diverting water from a river to a meadow or field’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*plew-‘to fly, flow, run’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*flutōną‘to float, swim’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*flotōn‘to float, swim’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400floter‘to float’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400flotage‘act of diverting water from a river to a meadow or field’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *plew- ‘to fly, flow, run’
fly, flow, flew, pneumonia, plutonium, fowl, plough, flue, plover, plutocracy, flay, 24 more
through Proto-Germanic *flutōną ‘to float, swim’
through Old French floter ‘to float’
Today it means
noun The state of floating.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *plew- / flotage