English
high-octane
From high + octane.
Proto-Indo-European *kewk- ‘to bend’
Proto-Germanic *hauhaz
Proto-West Germanic *hauh
Old English hēah ‘high’
Middle English high
English high
The story
First use appears c. 1931 in the Oakland Tribune.
Today it means
adj Of fuel, having a high octane number, good antiknock characteristics; used in high-performance vehicles.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / high-octane