Where does “flanker” come from?

flanker (English) comes from English flank, from Middle English flanc, from Old English flanc, from Old French flanc, from Frankish hlanca, from Proto-Germanic hlankaz, from Proto-Indo-European kleng- — to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist.

flanker (English): A player who plays in the back row of the scrum;...

Definitions

  1. A player who plays in the back row of the scrum;...

Ancestry of “flanker”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishflankTo attack the flank of; To defend the flank of;...
2Middle Englishflanc
3Old Englishflancflank
4Old Frenchflancside; flank
5Frankishhlanca
6Proto-Germanichlankazflexible; bendsome; slim; slender; sleek
7Proto-Indo-Europeankleng-to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist

Words derived from “flanker

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kleng-