Old English ford "shallow place where water can be crossed," from Proto-Germanic *furdu- (source also of Old Frisian forda, Old High German furt, German Furt "ford"), from PIE *prtu- "a going, a passage" (source also of Latin portus "harbor"), from root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over." The line of automobiles (company founded 1903) is named for U.S. manufacturer Henry Ford (1863-1947).
university town in England, Middle English Oxforde, from Old English Oxnaforda (10c.) literally "where the oxen ford" (see ox + ford (n.)). In reference to a type of shoe laced over the instep, it is attested from 1721 (Oxford-cut shoes). In reference to an accent supposedly characteristic of members of the university, by 1855. Related: Oxfordian; Oxfordish; Oxfordist; Oxfordy.
Oxford comma for "serial comma" (the second in A, B, and C) is attested by 1990s, from its being used by Oxford University Press or its recommendation by Henry W. Fowler, long associated with Oxford University, in his influential and authoritative book on English usage (1926) in which he writes "there is no agreement at present on the punctuation," but adds that the omission of the serial comma "often leaves readers helpless against ambiguity."
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to lead, pass over." A verbal root associated with *per- (1), which forms prepositions and preverbs with the basic meaning "forward, through; in front of, before," etc.
It forms all or part of: aporia; asportation; comport; deport; disport; emporium; Euphrates; export; fare; farewell; fartlek; Ferdinand; fere; fern; ferry; firth; fjord; ford; Fuhrer; gaberdine; import; important; importune; opportune; opportunity; passport; porch; pore (n.) "minute opening;" port (n.1) "harbor;" port (n.2) "gateway, entrance;" port (n.3) "bearing, mien;" port (v.) "to carry;" portable; portage; portal; portcullis; porter (n.1) "person who carries;" porter (n.2) "doorkeeper, janitor;" portfolio; portico; portiere; purport; practical; rapport; report; sport; support; transport; warfare; wayfarer; welfare.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit parayati "carries over;" Greek poros "journey, passage, way," peirein "to pierce, pass through, run through;" Latin portare "to carry," porta "gate, door," portus "port, harbor," originally "entrance, passage," peritus "experienced;" Avestan peretush "passage, ford, bridge;" Armenian hordan "go forward;" Old Welsh rit, Welsh rhyd "ford;" Old Church Slavonic pariti "to fly;" Old English faran "to go, journey," Old Norse fjörðr "inlet, estuary."
