Where does “field marshal” come from?
field marshal (English) comes from English Marshal, from Middle English marschal, from Anglo-Norman mareschal, from Medieval Latin mariscalcus, from Frankish marhskalk, from Proto-Germanic *marhaskalk, from Proto-Germanic *marh, from Proto-Germanic marhaz — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
field marshal (English): In certain nations the highest military rank, ranking below only the commander in chief; now mostly disused, being reserved for wartime or post-wartime use, and having become ceremonial in some countries
Definitions
- In certain nations the highest military rank, ranking below only the commander in chief; now mostly disused, being reserved for wartime or post-wartime use, and having become ceremonial in some countries
Ancestry of “field marshal”, step by step
field marshal traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English Marshal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Marshal | for someone who was in charge of the horses of a royal household, or an occupational surname for someone who looked after horses, or was responsible for the custody of prisoners |
| 2 | Middle English | marschal | Alternative form of marchal |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | mareschal | — |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | mariscalcus | groom, army commander, court dignitary |
| 5 | Frankish | marhskalk | servant assigned to horses; equerry |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *marhaskalk | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | *marh | — |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | marhaz | horse |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | skalkaz | servant |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kelH- | to cut; to split, to separate |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kel- | to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,... |
via German Feldmarschall
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Feldmarschall | field marshal |
| 2 | German | feld | field plot of open land, especially one used to grow crops |
| 3 | Middle High German | vëlt | — |
| 4 | Old High German | feld | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | felþu | field |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | felþuz | field, plain |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pelh₂- | to approach |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |