Where does “ransack” come from?
Ransack comes from Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka, meaning to search thoroughly, derived from Old Norse rann (house or room) and ultimately from Proto-Germanic razną and Proto-Indo-European seh₂g- (to seek or inquire).
ransack (English): To loot or pillage. "See also" sack; To make a...
Definitions
- To loot or pillage. "See also" sack; To make a...
Ancestry of “ransack”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ransaken | to pillage |
| 2 | Old Norse | rannsaka | to investigate; to ransack |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | sōkijaną | to seek, look for |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | séh₂gyeti | to give a sign |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | seh₂g- | to seek out |
Words derived from “ransack”