Etymology

motorail

M3O1T1O1R1A1I1L1

Today it means: A train allowing passengers to take their automobile along with them on their journey. Full definition →

English rail ← Middle English rail ← Old French reille
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*m(y)ewh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*m(y)owh₁éyeti
  3. Proto-Italic*moweō
  4. Latinmoveō
  5. Latinmōtor
  6. Middle Englishmotour
  7. Englishmotor
  8. Proto-Indo-European*h₃reǵ-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*h₃réǵeti
  10. Proto-Italic*regō
  11. Latinregō
  12. Latinrēgula
  13. Proto-West Germanic*regulu
  14. Old Englishregol
  15. Latinrēgula
  16. Old Frenchreille
  17. Middle Englishrail
  18. Englishrail
  19. English todaymotorail

Blend of motor + rail.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.