Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “desk” come from?

Desk comes from Middle English deske, from Medieval Latin desca, a word of uncertain origin and meaning.

desk (English): A table, frame, or case, in past centuries...

Definitions

  1. A table, frame, or case, in past centuries...

Ancestry of “desk”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishdeskeAlternative form of dosk
2Medieval Latindesca—
3Old Italiandesco—
4Latindiscusa discus, quoit; a dish shaped like a discus;...
5Proto-Italicdiskōlearn
6Proto-Italicdikskō—
7Proto-Indo-Europeandi-dḱ-ské-ti—
8Proto-Indo-Europeandeḱ-take; perceive

Words derived from “desk”

  • desktop
  • deskbound
  • deskwork
  • newsdesk
  • deskmate
  • deskman
  • deskbook
  • desklamp
  • deskside
  • nondesktop
  • deskspace
  • deskward
  • desklet
  • desk potato
  • deskband
  • infodesk
  • news desk
  • multidesktop
  • headdesk
  • desktop
  • desktop
  • ニュースデスク
  • デスク
  • デスクトップ
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deḱ- →