Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rampage” come from?

Rampage derives from Middle English ramp, from Old French ramper, from Frankish rampōn, from Frankish rampa, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots (s)ker- and sek-.

rampage (English): A course of violent, frenzied action; To move...

Definitions

  1. A course of violent, frenzied action; To move...

Ancestry of “rampage”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishramprave, rush wildly about
2Old Frenchramperto climb; to ascend; to go up
3Frankishrampōn—
4Frankishrampa—
5Proto-Germanichrempanąto bend, curve, make waves, wrinkle; to curve,...
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kreb-to turn; to touch; to turn, bend, shrink, rotate,...
7Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
8Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “rampage”

  • rampageous
  • rampagious
  • rampageously
  • rampager
  • rampageousness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →