Where does “outflanker” come from?

outflanker (English) comes from English outflank, from English flank, from Middle English flanc, from Old English flanc, from Old French flanc, from Frankish hlanca, from Proto-Germanic hlankaz, from Proto-Indo-European kleng- — to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist.

outflanker (English): One who is positioned so as to outflank the enemy...

Definitions

  1. One who is positioned so as to outflank the enemy...

Ancestry of “outflanker”, step by step

outflanker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English outflank

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoutflankTo maneuver around and behind the flank of; To...
2EnglishflankTo attack the flank of; To defend the flank of;...
3Middle Englishflanc
4Old Englishflancflank
5Old Frenchflancside; flank
6Frankishhlanca
7Proto-Germanichlankazflexible; bendsome; slim; slender; sleek
8Proto-Indo-Europeankleng-to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist

via English ER

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishERThe statistic "Earned Run"; Initialism of...
2Turkisherearly; brave; man, male
3Ottoman Turkishایرsaddle, a seat for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal
4Old Anatolian Turkishایرearly, at a time in advance of the usual or expected event
5Proto-Turkicēdersaddle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kleng-