English

inroad

The noun is derived from in + road (“(obsolete) act of riding on horseback; hostile ride against a particular area, raid”).

A compound of in + road ‘(obsolete) act of riding on horseback’

Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’

Proto-Germanic *in

Proto-West Germanic *in

Old English in

Middle English in ‘inside’

English in

Proto-Indo-European *reydʰ- ‘to ride’

Proto-Germanic *raidō ‘a ride’

Proto-West Germanic *raidu ‘riding’

Old English rād ‘riding’

Middle English rode ‘ride’

English road

The story

The noun is derived from in + road (‘(obsolete) act of riding on horseback; hostile ride against a particular area, raid’).

noun An advance into enemy territory, an attempted invasion; an encroachment, an incursion.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.