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
- A course of violent, frenzied action; To move...
Ancestry of “rampage”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ramp | rave, rush wildly about |
| 2 | Old French | ramper | to climb; to ascend; to go up |
| 3 | Frankish | rampōn | — |
| 4 | Frankish | rampa | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hrempaną | to bend, curve, make waves, wrinkle; to curve,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kreb- | to turn; to touch; to turn, bend, shrink, rotate,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ker- | to cut off; to turn, bend |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |