Where does “peekhole” come from?

peekhole (English) comes from English peek, from Middle English peken, from English peep, from Middle English pepen, from Middle English piken, from Middle English pyke, from Old English pīc, from Proto-Germanic *pīk — sap, juice.

peekhole (English): peephole

Definitions

  1. peephole

Ancestry of “peekhole”, step by step

peekhole traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English peek

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpeekTo look slyly, or with the eyes half closed, or...
2Middle Englishpeken
3EnglishpeepA short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a...
4Middle Englishpepen
5Middle EnglishpikenTo pick at; to use a edged tool on; To pierce or...
6Middle EnglishpykeA sharp round point or projection; A point or end...
7Old Englishpīcpointed object, pick axe
8Proto-Germanic*pīk
9Latinpixpitch, tar
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpik-to be angry; pitch; resin
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpi-sap, juice

via English hole

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishholeA hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
2Middle Englishholehealthy; safe; whole, complete, full
3Old Englishhola hole, a hollow; calumny; slander
4Proto-West Germanicholhollow; hole
5Proto-Germanichuląa hollow; depression; hole
6Proto-Germanichulazhollow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pi-