Where does “blacklegger” come from?
blacklegger (English) comes from English blackleg, 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.
blacklegger (English): A blackleg: one who takes the place of striking workers
Definitions
- A blackleg: one who takes the place of striking workers
Ancestry of “blacklegger”, step by step
blacklegger traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English blackleg
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | blackleg | A person who takes the place of striking workers;... |
| 2 | English | Black | Alternative letter-case form of black |
| 3 | Old French | blanc | white |
| 4 | Late Latin | blancus | white |
| 5 | Frankish | blank | bright; gleaming, white, blinding; bright,... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *blank | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | blankaz | bright, shining, white, gleaming, blinding |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bhleg- | to shine, white; to shine, burn, scorch |
via English ER
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ER | The statistic "Earned Run"; Initialism of... |
| 2 | Turkish | er | early; brave; man, male |
| 3 | Ottoman Turkish | ایر | saddle, a seat for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal |
| 4 | Old Anatolian Turkish | ایر | early, at a time in advance of the usual or expected event |
| 5 | Proto-Turkic | ēder | saddle |