Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “flack” come from?

flack (English) comes from Middle English flacken, from German flackern, from Middle High German vlackern, from Proto-Germanic flakuraz, from Proto-Indo-European plāg-, from Proto-Indo-European pelə- — to wander; to fill.

flack (English): To flutter; palpitate; To hang loosely; flag; To...

Definitions

  1. To flutter; palpitate; To hang loosely; flag; To...

Ancestry of “flack”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishflackento palpitate, flutter; to move to and fro,...
2Germanflackernto flicker
3Middle High Germanvlackern—
4Proto-Germanicflakurazshaking, wavering
5Proto-Indo-Europeanplāg-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpelə-to wander; to fill

Words derived from “flack”

  • flackery
  • superflack
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pelə- →