Where does “coalsack” come from?
coalsack (English) comes from English Sack, from Middle English sak, from Old English sacc, from Old English sæcc, from Proto-West Germanic sakku, from Proto-Germanic sakkuz, from Latin saccus, from Ancient Greek σάκκος — sack; sackcloth; sackcloth vestment, penitential...
coalsack (English): A sack for carrying coal; Any of the spaces in...
Definitions
- A sack for carrying coal; Any of the spaces in...
Ancestry of “coalsack”, step by step
coalsack traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Sack
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Sack | A bag; especially a large bag of strong, coarse material for storage and handling of various commodities, such as potatoes, coal, coffee; or, a bag with handles used at a supermarket, a grocery sack; or, a small bag for small items, a satchel |
| 2 | Middle English | sak | bag, sackcloth |
| 3 | Old English | sacc | sack, bag |
| 4 | Old English | sæcc | battle, strife, fighting |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | sakku | sack, bag |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | sakkuz | sack, bag, purse |
| 7 | Latin | saccus | sack, bag; purse, wallet, moneybag; garment of... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | σάκκος | sack; sackcloth; sackcloth vestment, penitential... |
via English coal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | coal | A black rock formed from prehistoric plant... |
| 2 | Middle English | col | cole; coal |
| 3 | Old English | cōl | cool, cold, tranquil, calm |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | kōl(ī) | cool |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kōluz | cool |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | kalaną | to be cold, to freeze |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵel- | to swallow; swallow |