Where does “knack” come from?

Knack comes from Middle English krak, a word of uncertain origin whose meaning remains unknown.

knack (English): A readiness in performance; aptness at doing...

Definitions

  1. A readiness in performance; aptness at doing...

Ancestry of “knack”, step by step

knack traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English Knaack

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishKnaack—
2DutchknaakA 2½ guilders coin; A large, valuable coin
3Middle Low Germanknoke—
4Old Dutchknuko—
5Proto-West Germanic*knokōjoint

via Middle High German knacke

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanknacke—
2Middle High Germanknacken—

via Middle English krak

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishkraka sharp blow

Words derived from “knack”

Every word from Proto-West Germanic *knokō →Every word from Old Dutch knuko →Every word from Middle Low German knoke →