Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cuck” come from?

cuck (English) comes from English cuckold, from Middle English cokolde, from Old French cucuault, from Frankish -wald, from Frankish wald, from Proto-Germanic waldaz, from Proto-Germanic waldaną, from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- — to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess.

cuck (English): A cuckold; A weakling; One who acts against one's...

Definitions

  1. A cuckold; A weakling; One who acts against one's...

Ancestry of “cuck”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcuckoldA man married to an unfaithful wife, especially...
2Middle Englishcokolde—
3Old Frenchcucuaulta cuckold
4Frankish-wald—
5Frankishwaldpower, mastery, dominion; reigning; ruling
6Proto-Germanicwaldazleader
7Proto-Germanicwaldanąto rule
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwaldʰ-to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess
Every word from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- →