Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cog” come from?

Cog comes from Middle English cogge, from Middle Dutch kogge, from Proto-Indo-European gugā, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gēw-.

cog (English): A tooth on a gear; A gear; a cogwheel; An...

Definitions

  1. A tooth on a gear; A gear; a cogwheel; An...

Ancestry of “cog”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcogge—
2Proto-Germanickuggō—
3Proto-Indo-Europeangugāhump, ball
4Proto-Indo-Europeangēw-to bend, arch

Words derived from “cog”

  • cogwheel
  • cockboat
  • cogger
  • coggly
  • coggle
  • coglike
  • coggery
  • cogwheeled
  • cogset
  • cogless
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gēw- →