English
portable
Portable comes from Middle French portable, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *per-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-root as named · steps between not traced
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600portable
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-root as named · steps between not traced
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600portable
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, London: […] Nathaniel Butter: “How light and portable my paine ſeemes now, /…”
Equivalent to port ‘to carry’ + -able
Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to fare, cross’
Proto-Indo-European *pértus ‘crossing’
Proto-Italic *portus ‘harbour’
Latin portus ‘harbour, port’
Old English port ‘a port, haven’
English port
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *per-
first, before, far, per, price, private, press, further, practice, support, fear, pre, primary, prime, appreciate, report, prior, prize, pregnant, opportunity, practical, afford, precious, praise, ford, transport, parade, par, interpretation, sport, privilege, ferry, forth, pirate, importance, fare, pardon, primitive, prix, export, 158 more
Today it means
adj Able to be carried or easily moved.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / portable