Where does “-k” come from?

-k (English) comes from Middle English -ken, from Dutch -ken, from Middle Dutch -ken, from Old Dutch -kīn, from Proto-Germanic *-ukīn.

-k (English): A suffix found in words of Middle English, Old...

Definitions

  1. A suffix found in words of Middle English, Old...

Ancestry of “-k”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle English-kenForms verbs with an frequentative or intensive force from nouns or other verbs
2Dutch-kenAlternative form of -ke
3Middle Dutch-ken—
4Old Dutch-kīn—
5Proto-Germanic*-ukīn—
Every word from Proto-Germanic *-ukīn →Every word from Middle English -ken →Every word from Dutch -ken →