Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “knout” come from?

knout (English) comes from French knout, from Russian кнут, from Old East Slavic кнутъ, from Old Norse Knútr, from Proto-Germanic knuttô, from Proto-Indo-European gnod- — to bind.

knout (English): A leather scourge , in the severe version known...

Definitions

  1. A leather scourge , in the severe version known...

Ancestry of “knout”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchknoutknout, scourge; a flogging administered with such...
2Russianкнутwhip, knout, scourge
3Old East Slavicкнутъ—
4Old NorseKnútr—
5Proto-Germanicknuttôa knot
6Proto-Indo-Europeangnod-to bind

Words derived from “knout”

  • knouter
  • knuto
  • knutagar
  • knuto
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gnod- →