Etymograph

English

touchbox

From touch + box.

A compound of touch + box

Proto-Indo-European *dewk- ‘to draw, pull’

…

Frankish *tukkōn ‘to knock, strike, touch’

Vulgar Latin *tuccō ‘to knock, strike’

Old French tochier ‘to touch’

Middle English touchen ‘to touch’

English touch

Late Latin buxis ‘box’

Proto-West Germanic *buhsā ‘box’

Old English box ‘box, case’

Middle English box ‘container’

English box

Today it means

noun A box containing lighted tinder, formerly carried by soldiers for kindling matchlocks.

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

Etymograph / touchbox