Where does “sawbuck” come from?
sawbuck (English) comes from Dutch zaagbok, from Dutch bok, from Middle Dutch boc, from Old Dutch būc, from Proto-West Germanic bukk, from Proto-Germanic *bukkaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰuǵ-, from Proto-North Caucasian bVχc̣V — young he-goat.
sawbuck (English): a framework for holding wood so that it can be...
Definitions
- a framework for holding wood so that it can be...
Ancestry of “sawbuck”, step by step
sawbuck traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch zaagbok
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | zaagbok | sawbuck, sawhorse, buck |
| 2 | Dutch | bok | male goat, buck, billy; vaulting horse; a crane... |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | boc | buck, male goat |
| 4 | Old Dutch | būc | buck, male goat |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | bukk | buck, male goat |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *bukkaz | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰuǵ- | buck, he-goat |
| 8 | Proto-North Caucasian | bVχc̣V | — |
| 9 | Proto-North Caucasian | bVc̣V | young he-goat |
via English saw
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | saw | A tool with a toothed blade used for cutting hard... |
| 2 | Middle English | sawe | Alternative form of sauf |
| 3 | Old English | saga | saw; saying; statement; story, tale; narrative |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | sagā | story |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sagǭ | story |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷe- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |