Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “freckled” come from?

Freckled comes from Middle English freckled, from Old English frecled, from Proto-Germanic *freklōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *spherg- meaning to sprinkle or spread.

freckled (English): Having freckles; covered with freckles

Definitions

  1. Having freckles; covered with freckles

Ancestry of “freckled”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfreckleA small brownish or reddish pigmentation spot on...
2Middle Englishfreken—
3Old Norsefreknurspeckles
4Proto-Germanicsprekaląfreckle
5Proto-Indo-Europeansp(h)er(e)g-to strew, sprinkle

Words derived from “freckled”

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