threshold English · revision 13315

− It is Middle English thresshewold, [[inh|ang|þrescold|t=doorsill, point of entering]], þerscwald,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) a word of uncertain origin, probably much altered by folk etymology.^(Etymonline) The first element is related to Old English þrescan, to thresh (see [[thresh]]), perhaps in an older sense, to tread, trample;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) the second is unexplained,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) and was probably altered to look like [[hold]].^(Etymonline) Liberman revives a theory that it is the Proto-Germanic instrumental suffix *-thlo, and that a threshold was originally a threshing area next to the living area of a house.^(Etymonline) Cognates include Old Norse þreskjǫldr and Swedish tröskel.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)