Where does “prick” come from?
Prick comes from Middle English prikken, from Old English prician, ultimately from Proto-Germanic prik-, with roots in Proto-Indo-European verbal formations.
prick (English): A small hole or perforation, caused by piercing;...
Definitions
- A small hole or perforation, caused by piercing;...
Ancestry of “prick”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | prikken | to prick, pierce |
| 2 | Old English | prician | to prick |
| 3 | Old English | -ian | Forms verbs from nouns and adjectives |
| 4 | Old English | -ōjan | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -ōn | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -ōną | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 10 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |