Etymology

watergate

W4A1T1E1R1G2A1T1E1

Today it means: To treat in a manner reminiscent of the Watergate scandal. Full definition →

Middle English watergate
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watergate · noun, verb1

  1. Middle English · inherited fromwatergate
  2. English todaywatergate

From Middle English watergate, wateregate, watur-ȝate, equivalent to water + gate.

Watergate · proper noun, verb2

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  3. Proto-Germanic*watōr
  4. Proto-West Germanic*watar
  5. Old Englishwæter
  6. Middle Englishwater
  7. Englishwater
  8. Proto-Indo-European*gʰe(n)d-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*gʰed-eti
  10. Proto-Germanic*getaną
  11. Proto-Germanic*gatą
  12. Proto-West Germanic*gat
  13. Old Englishġeat
  14. Middle Englishgate
  15. Englishgate
  16. Proto-Indo-European*gʰóstis
  17. Proto-Indo-European*pótis
  18. Proto-Indo-European*gʰóstipotis
  19. Proto-Italic*hostipotis
  20. Latinhospes
  21. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  22. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  23. Latinhospitālis
  24. Old Frenchostel
  25. Middle Frenchhostel
  26. Frenchhôte
  27. Englishhotel
  28. EnglishWatergate Hotel
  29. English todayWatergate

From the name of the Watergate Hotel; the complex itself was named after the "Water Gate" area where symphony orchestra concerts were staged on the Potomac River between 1935 and 1965.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.