Where does “outflank” come from?
Outflank comes from Middle English ut- combined with French flanc, which derives from Frankish hlanka, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kleng-.
outflank (English): To maneuver around and behind the flank of; To...
Definitions
- To maneuver around and behind the flank of; To...
Ancestry of “outflank”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | flank | To attack the flank of; To defend the flank of;... |
| 2 | Middle English | flanc | — |
| 3 | Old English | flanc | flank |
| 4 | Old French | flanc | side; flank |
| 5 | Frankish | hlanca | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hlankaz | flexible; bendsome; slim; slender; sleek |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kleng- | to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist |