Where does “lumberjack” come from?
Lumberjack comes from English lumber and jack, with lumber deriving from Portuguese jaca, ultimately from Malayalam ചക്ക.
lumberjack (English): A person whose work is to fell trees; A...
Definitions
- A person whose work is to fell trees; A...
Ancestry of “lumberjack”, step by step
lumberjack 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 lumber
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | lumber | Old furniture or other items that take up room,... |