Where does “checkerboard” come from?
checkerboard (English) comes from English checker, from English check, from English chequer, from Old French eschequier, from Medieval Latin scaccarium, from Vulgar Latin scaccus, from Arabic شَاه, from Persian شاه — to sire, beget.
checkerboard (English): A pattern of squares of alternating colours; A...
Definitions
- A pattern of squares of alternating colours; A...
Ancestry of “checkerboard”, step by step
checkerboard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English checker
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | checker | One who checks or verifies something; One who... |
| 2 | English | check | A situation in which the king is directly... |
| 3 | English | chequer | The edible fruit of the wild service tree,... |
| 4 | Old French | eschequier | exchequer |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | scaccarium | chess board; chessboard; exchequer |
| 6 | Vulgar Latin | scaccus | chess |
| 7 | Arabic | شَاه | king in chess; king; king or check at chess, shah |
| 8 | Persian | شاه | king; shah; king; Something that is the biggest... |
| 9 | Middle Persian | 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠 | king |
| 10 | Old Persian | 𐏋 | king |
| 11 | Proto-Iranian | xšáyati | — |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | kšáyati | he rules, he has power over |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | teḱ- | to sire, beget |
via English board
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | board | A relatively long, wide and thin piece of any... |
| 2 | English | boardrider | surfer |
| 3 | English | rider | One who rides, often on a horse or a motorcycle;... |
| 4 | Middle English | ridere | Alternative form of ryder |
| 5 | Middle English | ryder | A rider or equestrian; one who rides a horse; A... |
| 6 | Old English | rīdere | rider, knight |
| 7 | Old English | rīdan | to ride |
| 8 | Proto-West Germanic | rīdan | to ride |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | rīdaną | to ride |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | rēydʰ- | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |