Where does “blackleg” come from?
blackleg (English) comes from English Black, from Old French blanc, from Late Latin blancus, from Frankish blank, from Proto-Germanic *blank, from Proto-Germanic blankaz, from Proto-Indo-European bhleg- — to shine, white; to shine, burn, scorch.
blackleg (English): A person who takes the place of striking workers;...
Definitions
- A person who takes the place of striking workers;...
Ancestry of “blackleg”, step by step
blackleg traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Black
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Black | Alternative letter-case form of black |
| 2 | Old French | blanc | white |
| 3 | Late Latin | blancus | white |
| 4 | Frankish | blank | bright; gleaming, white, blinding; bright,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *blank | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | blankaz | bright, shining, white, gleaming, blinding |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bhleg- | to shine, white; to shine, burn, scorch |