Where does “ransackle” come from?
ransackle (English) comes from Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka, from Proto-Germanic sōkijaną, from Proto-Indo-European séh₂gyeti, from Proto-Indo-European seh₂g- — to seek out.
ransackle (English): To ransack; Alternative form of ramshackle
Definitions
- To ransack; Alternative form of ramshackle
Ancestry of “ransackle”, 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 “ransackle”