Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “anchor” come from?

Anchor comes from Dutch anker, from Latin ancora, from Ancient Greek ἄγκυρα, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ang-.

anchor (English): A tool used to moor a vessel to the bottom of a...

Definitions

  1. A tool used to moor a vessel to the bottom of a...

Ancestry of “anchor”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishankeranchor
2Old Englishancoranchor
3Proto-West Germanic*ankurō—
4Proto-Germanicankurôanchor
5Latinancōra—
6Ancient GreekἌγκυρα—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanang-joint; corner, hirn; joint; lith

Words derived from “anchor”

  • anchorage
  • anchoring
  • Anchorage
  • anchorman
  • anchorhold
  • anchorperson
  • coanchor
  • anchorless
  • anchorable
  • anchorlike
  • anchoreth
  • unanchor
  • unanchorable
  • disanchor
  • sheet anchor
  • анкер
  • ancrer
  • ancre
  • ancrage
  • Anchorman
  • Anker
  • ankro
  • アンカレッジ
  • anka
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ang- →