Etymology

shelfward

S1H4E1L1F4W4A1R1D2

Today it means: Toward a (geological) shelf. Full definition →

Proto-Germanic *wardaz ← Proto-Indo-European *wert- ← English shelf
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kelH-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kel(H)-p-
  3. Proto-Germanic*skelfō
  4. Proto-West Germanic*skelfu:
  5. Proto-West Germanic*skilfijā
  6. Old Englishsċylfe?
  7. Middle Englishschelfe
  8. Englishshelf
  9. Proto-Indo-European*wert-
  10. Proto-Germanic*wardaz
  11. English todayshelfward

From shelf + -ward.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.