Where does “Bank” come from?

Bank comes from Old English banc, from Proto-Germanic bankô, from Proto-Germanic bankiz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeg-, a root of uncertain meaning.

Bank (English): A major London Underground station in the City of London, named after the Bank of England and one of the busiest stations on the network OS grid ref TQ3281

Definitions

  1. A major London Underground station in the City of London, named after the Bank of England and one of the busiest stations on the network OS grid ref TQ3281

Ancestry of “Bank”, step by step

Bank traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish bänk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishbänkbench, a long sofa without bolster; bench; where...
2Dutchbankbench; couch, sofa; place where seashells are...
3Italianbancodesk; counter; bench, table
4Old High Germanbankbench
5Proto-West Germanicbankibench
6Proto-Germanicbankiza raised surface; bulge; hillock; slope; bench
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeg-to break

via Danish bank

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishbankbank; only used in certain expressions; knock
2Frenchbanquebank
3Middle Frenchbanquebank
4Italianbancabank; third-person singular present indicative of...
5Lombardicbankbench, counter

via Middle English bank

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbankthe bank of a river or lake
2Old Frenchbancbench
3Frankishbank

Words derived from “Bank

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeg-
Bank — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer