Where does “harpoon” come from?
Harpoon comes from Old French harpon, from Latin harpaga, from Ancient Greek ἁρπάγη meaning a grappling hook or instrument for seizing.
harpoon (English): A spearlike weapon with a barbed head used in...
Definitions
- A spearlike weapon with a barbed head used in...
Ancestry of “harpoon”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | harpon | harpoon |
| 2 | Old French | harpon | — |
| 3 | Old French | harpe | harp |
| 4 | Latin | harpa | harp |
| 5 | Frankish | harpā | harp |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | harpǭ | harp |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kreb- | to turn; to touch; to turn, bend, shrink, rotate,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ker- | to cut off; to turn, bend |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |