Where does “cakewalk” come from?

cakewalk (English) comes from English walk, from Middle English walk, from Old English wealcian, from Frankish walkōn, from Proto-Germanic walkōną, from Indo-European *wel-.

cakewalk (English): A contest in which cake was offered for the best...

Definitions

  1. A contest in which cake was offered for the best...

Ancestry of “cakewalk”, step by step

cakewalk traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English walk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwalkTo move on the feet by alternately setting each...
2Middle Englishwalkto watch
3Old Englishwealcianto roll up, curl, twist; to wrinkle
4Frankishwalkōnto roll; to full
5Proto-GermanicwalkōnąTo roll about; wallow; To full
6Indo-European*wel-—

via English cake

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcakeA rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of...
2Middle Englishcakecake; A cake prepared to cure disease or illness;...
3Old Norsekakacake
4Proto-Germanickakǭcake
5Proto-Indo-Europeangōg-round, ball-shaped object; lump; clump

Words derived from “cakewalk”

Every word from Indo-European *wel- →Every word from Proto-Germanic walkōną →Every word from Frankish walkōn →