Etymology Explorer › English

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

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanplanke—
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

Words derived from “plank”

  • planking
  • gangplank
  • plankway
  • planklike
  • plankless
  • plankwise
  • plankboard
  • planko-sulo
  • planko
  • plangk
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵ- →