Where does “jacksmith” come from?
jacksmith (English) comes from English Jack, from Middle English jakke, from Anglo-Norman jacke, from Middle French jaque, from Middle French jacques, from French jacques, from Latin Iacobus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος — heel of the foot; heel.
jacksmith (English): A smith who makes jacks
Definitions
- A smith who makes jacks
Ancestry of “jacksmith”, step by step
jacksmith traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Jack
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Jack | A placeholder or conventional name for any man,... |
| 2 | Middle English | jakke | A padded coat, especially as light armour |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | jacke | — |
| 4 | Middle French | jaque | — |
| 5 | Middle French | jacques | — |
| 6 | French | jacques | plural of jacque; a stupid person; a jemmy or... |
| 7 | Latin | Iacobus | Jacob; James; Saint James |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | Ἰάκωβος | — |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | Ἰακώβ | Jacob |
| 10 | Hebrew | יַעֲקֹב | Jacob |
| 11 | Hebrew | עָקֵב | heel of the foot; heel |
via English Smith
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Smith | (the most common in Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) |
| 2 | Middle English | smiþ | Alternative form of smyth |
| 3 | Middle English | smyth | A blacksmith; one who works with iron; A... |
| 4 | Old English | smiþ | smith |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *smiþ | craftsman, smith |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | smiþaz | craftsman, smith |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | smēy- | — |