Where does “blank” come from?
Blank comes from Middle English blonc, from Old French blanc meaning white, from Frankish blank, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰel- meaning to shine or gleam.
blank (English): White or pale; without colour; Free from writing,...
Definitions
- White or pale; without colour; Free from writing,...
Ancestry of “blank”, step by step
blank traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English blank
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | blank | — |
| 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 |