Where does “sax” come from?

Sax derives from Middle English sax, from Old English seax, from Proto-Germanic sahsą, from Proto-Indo-European sek-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European swéḱs meaning to cut.

sax (English): A slate-cutter's hammer; slate-ax; A knife or...

Definitions

  1. A slate-cutter's hammer; slate-ax; A knife or...

Ancestry of “sax”, step by step

sax traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English sex

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsexsex; Alternative form of sax; Alternative form of...
2Middle Englishsixsix
3Old Englishsixsix
4Proto-West Germanicsehssix
5Proto-Germanicsehssix
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswéḱssix

via Middle English sax

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishsaxA knife
2Old Englishseaxknife, dagger
3Proto-West Germanicsahsdagger, knife
4Proto-Germanicsahsąa stone chip used for cutting; dagger, knife
5Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swéḱs →