Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “jackstaff” come from?

jackstaff (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.

jackstaff (English): a short spar, at the bows of a ship, that serves...

Definitions

  1. a short spar, at the bows of a ship, that serves...

Ancestry of “jackstaff”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishJackA placeholder or conventional name for any man,...
2Middle Englishjakke—
3Anglo-Normanjacke—
4Middle Frenchjaque—
5Middle Frenchjacques—
6Frenchjacquesplural of jacque; a stupid person; a jemmy or...
7LatinIacobusJacob; James; Saint James
8Ancient GreekἸάκωβος—
9Ancient GreekἸακώβ—
10HebrewיַעֲקֹבJacob
11Hebrewעָקֵבheel of the foot; heel
Every word from Hebrew עָקֵב →