Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pork” come from?

Pork comes from Middle English pork, from Old French porc, from Latin porcus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European perḱ-, derived from per-.

pork (English): The meat of a pig; swineflesh; Funding proposed...

Definitions

  1. The meat of a pig; swineflesh; Funding proposed...

Ancestry of “pork”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishporkpork; pig meat; swine, pig
2Old Frenchporcpig; hog; swine
3Latinporcusa piglet, a young pig; a pig, hog; Short for...
4Proto-Italicporkospig
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpórḱospiglet
6Proto-Indo-Europeanperḱ-colored; motley; to open, rip up
7Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “pork”

  • porker
  • porky
  • Porkopolis
  • porkling
  • porkless
  • porklike
  • porkish
  • porkiness
  • antipork
  • nonpork
  • porkburger
  • porkwood
  • porkalicious
  • porkily
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →