English
headway
Headway comes from Old English hēafodweġ ‘head-road, main-road’, from Proto-Germanic *wegaz ‘way’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- ‘to convey, transport’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵʰ-‘to convey, transport’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wéǵʰeti‘to be transporting’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*weganą‘to move, carry’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wegaz‘way’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*weg‘way, road’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150weġ‘road’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150hēafodweġ‘head-road, main-road’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hauedwei
- Englishearliest quotation 1941headway
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵʰ-‘to convey, transport’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wéǵʰeti‘to be transporting’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*weganą‘to move, carry’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wegaz‘way’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*weg‘way, road’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150weġ‘road’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150hēafodweġ‘head-road, main-road’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hauedwei
- Englishearliest quotation 1941headway
Earliest quotation: 1941, the late John Phillimore, The Forth Bridge 1890-1940: “So as not to impede navigation the two principal…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- ‘to convey, transport’
via, vehicle, wave, reveal, vein, vogue, veil, wagon, wedge, venous, vex, wag, vena, wey, invective, velar, wain, waw, 40 more
through Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰeti ‘to be transporting’
through Proto-Germanic *weganą ‘to move, carry’
through Old English weġ ‘road’
Today it means
noun A movement ahead or forward.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- / headway