Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “earshrift” come from?

earshrift (English) comes from English shrift, from Old English sċrift, from Old English sċrīfan, from Proto-West Germanic skrīban, from Proto-Germanic skrībaną, from Latin scrībō, from Proto-Italic skreiβō, from Proto-Indo-European skreybʰ- — to write.

earshrift (English): auricular confession; shrift

Definitions

  1. auricular confession; shrift

Ancestry of “earshrift”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshriftThe act of going to or hearing a religious...
2Old Englishsċrift—
3Old Englishsċrīfan1. to decree, pass judgement, prescribe, 2. to...
4Proto-West Germanicskrībanto write
5Proto-Germanicskrībanąto write
6Latinscrībō—
7Proto-Italicskreiβōto carve
8Proto-Indo-Europeanskreybʰ-to write
Every word from Proto-Indo-European skreybʰ- →