Where does “casework” come from?

Casework derives from case, from Middle English cas, from Old English wyrċan, from Latin casus meaning "a fall or chance occurrence," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- meaning "to seize."

casework (English): The work required to deal with cases in any...

Definitions

  1. The work required to deal with cases in any...

Ancestry of “casework”, step by step

casework traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Case

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishCaseabstract feature of a noun phrase that determines...
2GermanKäsecheese; nonsense
3Middle High Germankæsecheese
4Old High Germankāsicheese
5Proto-West Germanickāsīcheese
6Proto-Germanickāsijazcheese
7Latincāseuscheese
8Proto-Indo-Europeankwat-to ferment, become sour; to boil

via English work

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwork"Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to...
2Middle Englishwerkwork
3Old Englishweorcwork, in various senses, including
4Proto-West Germanicwerkwork
5Proto-Germanicwerkąwork
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwérǵomwork
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵ-to make
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kwat-Every word from Latin cāseusEvery word from Proto-Germanic kāsijaz