Where does “reek” come from?
Reek comes from English rick, from Proto-Germanic reukaną, from Proto-Indo-European reǵ-, h₃reǵ-, and rew-.
reek (English): A strong unpleasant smell; Vapour; steam; smoke;...
Definitions
- A strong unpleasant smell; Vapour; steam; smoke;...
Ancestry of “reek”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | reken | to smoke; to drive; move; tend |
| 2 | Old Norse | reka | shovel; to drive |
| 3 | Old Norse | vreka | to drive |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wrekaną | to pursue, to drive out |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wreǵ- | to work, act |
Words derived from “reek”