Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “freckle” come from?

Freckle comes from Middle English freken, from Old Norse freknur, from Proto-Germanic sprekalą, from Proto-Indo-European sp(h)er(e)g-.

freckle (English): A small brownish or reddish pigmentation spot on...

Definitions

  1. A small brownish or reddish pigmentation spot on...

Ancestry of “freckle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfreken—
2Old Norsefreknurspeckles
3Proto-Germanicsprekaląfreckle
4Proto-Indo-Europeansp(h)er(e)g-to strew, sprinkle

Words derived from “freckle”

  • freckled
  • freckly
  • unfreckled
  • befreckled
  • freckleface
  • freckleless
  • frecklesome
  • nonfreckled
  • freckled duck
  • freckledness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sp(h)er(e)g- →