abaft etymology

Etymology:

  • Middle English: abaft, from Old French: abaf, arriere, from Late Latin: ab aftō, from Latin: ab "from" + aftum, past participle of afferre "to affix"

Meaning:

  • Located towards or at the back of a ship or aircraft, in relation to the forward direction of motion.
  • Behind someone or something.

Origin:

The term "abaft" originated from nautical terminology. It refers to the spatial relationship between two points on a ship or aircraft, specifically in relation to the direction in which the vessel is moving.

The word is derived from the Latin preposition "ab," meaning "from," and the past participle of the verb "afferre," meaning "to affix." This suggests that "abaft" originally referred to a position that was fixed or attached to the back or stern of a vessel.

Over time, the term came to be used more generally to refer to any position that was located towards or at the back of a ship or aircraft, even if it was not directly attached. It is now also commonly used in other contexts, such as describing the position of objects or people behind someone or something.

abaft relate terms

  • byway

    Etymology Old English bīweg meaning a secondary road Middle English byway b

  • tabernacle

    Etymology The word tabernacle comes from the Latin word tabernaculum which means t

  • forlorn

    Etymology From Middle English forlorn from Old English forloren past participle of fo

  • remember

    Etymology The word remember comes from the Old French remembrer which is derived fro

  • jeopardy

    Etymology Jeopardy From Middle English jeupardie meaning risk or danger Ultimate

  • kaput

    Etymology The word kaput is derived from the German expression Ganz kaputt or kaput

  • grief

    Etymology The word grief derives from the Old French word grever meaning to cause

  • quintessence

    Etymology From Late Latin quintessentia fifth essence from Latin quinta essentia

  • byway

    Etymology Old English bīweg meaning a secondary road Middle English byway b

  • tabernacle

    Etymology The word tabernacle comes from the Latin word tabernaculum which means t

  • forlorn

    Etymology From Middle English forlorn from Old English forloren past participle of fo

  • remember

    Etymology The word remember comes from the Old French remembrer which is derived fro

  • jeopardy

    Etymology Jeopardy From Middle English jeupardie meaning risk or danger Ultimate

  • kaput

    Etymology The word kaput is derived from the German expression Ganz kaputt or kaput

  • grief

    Etymology The word grief derives from the Old French word grever meaning to cause

  • quintessence

    Etymology From Late Latin quintessentia fifth essence from Latin quinta essentia