Where does “Duck” come from?
Duck derives from Middle English doke, from Old English duce, from Proto-Germanic dukkǭ, from Proto-Germanic dūkaną.
Duck (English): To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something
Definitions
- To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something
Ancestry of “Duck”, step by step
Duck traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch doek
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | doek | cloth, linen, fabric; a piece of cloth; screen,... |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | doec | cloth |
| 3 | Old Dutch | duok | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | dōk | cloth, rag |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | dōkaz | cloth, rag |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dwōg- | — |
via Middle English doke
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | doke | duck, drake; Alternative form of dokke |
| 2 | Old English | dūce | duck |
| 3 | Old English | dūcan | to dip, dive, duck |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | dūkan | to duck, to dive under |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | dūkaną | to duck, to dive under |
Words derived from “Duck”