Where does “plank” come from?

Plank comes from Old French planke, a board or flat piece of wood.

plank (English): A long, broad and thick piece of timber, as...

Definitions

  1. A long, broad and thick piece of timber, as...

Ancestry of “plank”, step by step

plank traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German planke

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanplankeplank big or thick board of wood
2Middle Low Germanplanke
3Old FrenchplankeAlternative form of planche
4Vulgar Latinplanca
5Latinpalancaslat, plank or stake; palanka, a palisaded...
6Ottoman Turkishپلانقهa kind of palisaded fortification erected by the...
7Italianparancohoist
8ItalianpalancoAlternative form of paranco
9Vulgar Latinpalancaslat, plank or stake; palanka, a palisaded...
10Latinphalangawooden roller; carrying pole; alternative form of...
11Ancient Greekφάλαγξline of battle, battle-array; ranks of an army;...
12Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰelǵ-to balk, beam

via Middle English plank

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishplank
2Old Northern Frenchplanque

Words derived from “plank

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵ-
plank — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer