Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “keek” come from?

keek (English) comes from Middle English kiken, from Middle Dutch kīken, from Old Dutch kīkan, from Proto-West Germanic kīkan, from Proto-Germanic kīkaną — to look, peep.

keek (English): To peek; peep; A look, especially a quick one; a...

Definitions

  1. To peek; peep; A look, especially a quick one; a...

Ancestry of “keek”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishkikento strike out with the foot
2Middle Dutchkīken—
3Old Dutchkīkan—
4Proto-West Germanickīkanto look, to peep
5Proto-Germanickīkanąto look, peep

Words derived from “keek”

  • pick
  • peak
  • picking
  • pickup
  • peep
  • peek
  • peck
  • toothpick
  • picky
  • peephole
  • pickpocket
  • pickguard
  • nitpicking
  • peckish
  • peeper
  • forepeak
  • peaky
  • peekaboo
  • handpick
  • picklock
  • peepshow
  • nitpick
  • photopeak
  • nitpicky
Every word from Proto-Germanic kīkaną →