Where does “nickstick” come from?

nickstick (English) comes from English Nick, from English nickname, from Middle English nekename, from Middle English ekename, from Middle English eke, from Old English ēaca, from Proto-Germanic aukô, from Proto-Germanic aukaną.

nickstick (English): A tally stick

Definitions

  1. A tally stick

Ancestry of “nickstick”, step by step

nickstick traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Nick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNickA small cut in a surface
2EnglishnicknameA familiar, invented name for a person or thing...
3Middle Englishnekename
4Middle EnglishekenameA nickname
5Middle Englishekealso, additional
6Old Englishēacaan addition, increase, eeking; addition,...
7Proto-Germanicaukôincrease, addition
8Proto-Germanicaukanąto increase, to grow
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ewg-to increase, to enlarge
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂weg-to increase, to enlarge
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ug-

via English stick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstickAn elongated piece of wood or similar material,...
2Middle Englishstikketwig, branch; kindling, twigs used as a...
3Old Englishsticcastick
4Proto-West Germanic*stikkōstick, pole
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ug-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂weg-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ewg-