Where does “escrow” come from?

Escrow comes from Middle English escrowe, from Old French escroe, from Frankish skraudu, from Proto-Germanic skraudō and skraudaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- and sek-.

escrow (English): A written instrument, such as a deed, temporarily...

Definitions

  1. A written instrument, such as a deed, temporarily...

Ancestry of “escrow”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchescroepiece, strip (of something)
2Latinscrofasow
3Proto-Indo-European(s)kerbʰ-to scratch, scrape
4Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
5Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “escrow”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →