Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Black” come from?

Black comes from Middle English blak, from Old Norse bleikr, from Proto-Germanic blaikaz, from Proto-Indo-European bhleg-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰleyǵ-.

Black (English): Alternative letter-case form of black

Definitions

  1. Alternative letter-case form of black

Ancestry of “Black”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchblancwhite
2Late Latinblancuswhite
3Frankishblankbright; gleaming, white, blinding; bright,...
4Proto-Germanic*blank—
5Proto-Germanicblankazbright, shining, white, gleaming, blinding
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbhleg-to shine, white; to shine, burn, scorch

Words derived from “Black”

  • Blackian
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bhleg- →