Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rings” come from?

Rings derives from Middle English ring, Old English hring, Proto-Germanic hringijaną, and Proto-Indo-European sker-, ultimately from the root sek- meaning to cut or turn.

rings (English): plural of ring; API pl; A gymnastics apparatus...

Definitions

  1. plural of ring; API pl; A gymnastics apparatus...

Ancestry of “rings”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishringA solid object in the shape of a circle; A group...
2Middle Englishryng—
3Old Englishhringring
4Proto-West Germanichringring, circle
5Proto-Germanichringazring, circle; curve; sound, ring
6Proto-Indo-European(s)krengʰ-to turn, bend
7Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
8Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →