icknield way | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

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French, from Latin per excellentiam "by the way of excellence." French par "by, through, by way of, by means of" is from Latin per (see per). For second element, see excellence.

walkway (n.)

1865, American English, from walk (v.) + way (n.).

halfway (adv.)

also half-way, Old English healfweg; see half + way (n.). Halfway house originally was a common name for inns midway between cities or stages.

deviate (v.)

1630s, "turn aside or wander from the (right) way," from Late Latin deviatus, past participle of deviare "to turn aside, turn out of the way," from Latin phrase de via, from de "off" (see de-) + via "way" (see via). Meaning "take a different course, diverge, differ" is from 1690s. Related: Deviated; deviating. The noun meaning "sexual pervert" is attested from 1912.

wise (n.)

"way of proceeding, manner," Old English wise "way, fashion, custom, habit, manner; condition, state, circumstance," from Proto-Germanic *wison "appearance, form, manner" (see wise (adj.)). Compare Old Saxon wisa, Old Frisian wis, Danish vis, Middle Dutch wise, Dutch wijs, Old High German wisa, German Weise "way, manner." Most common in English now as a word-forming element (as in likewise, clockwise); the adverbial -wise has been used thus since Old English. For sense evolution from "to see" to "way of proceeding," compare cognate Greek eidos "form, shape, kind," also "course of action." Ground sense is "to see/know the way."

devious (adj.)

1590s, "out of the common or direct way," from Latin devius "out of the way, remote, off the main road," from de via; from de "off" (see de-) + via "way, road" (see via). Compare deviate. Originally in the Latin literal sense; the figurative sense of "deceitful" is first recorded 1630s. Related: Deviously; deviousness. Figurative senses of the Latin word were "retired, sequestered, wandering in the byways, foolish, inconsistent."

judo (n.)

1889, from Japanese judo, literally "gentle way," from ju "softness, gentleness" (from Chinese jou "soft, gentle") + do "way, art," from Chinese tao "way." "A refined form of ju-jitsu introduced in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano, using principles of movement and balance, and practiced as a sport or form of physical exercise" [OED]. Related: Judoist.

Traviata, La

title of an opera by Verdi, Italian, literally "the woman led astray," from traviata literally "to lead beyond the way," from tra- "across, beyond" (from Latin trans; see trans-) + via "way" (see via).

driveway (n.)

1870, "a way for driving," from drive (v.) + way (n.). Drive alone in this sense is attested from 1816. Specifically as "private road from a public road to a private house" by 1884.

speedway (n.)

1892, American English, from speed (n.) + way (n.).

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