Where does “scabbard” come from?
Scabbard comes from Middle English scabard, from Old French escalberc, of uncertain origin.
scabbard (English): The sheath of a sword; To put an object into its...
Definitions
- The sheath of a sword; To put an object into its...
Ancestry of “scabbard”, step by step
scabbard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English scabard
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | scabard | — |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | eschaubert | — |
| 3 | Frankish | *skarberg | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bergaz | hill; mountain; refuge; shelter |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰerǵʰ- | to rise; high, lofty; hill, mountain |
via Anglo-Norman escalberc
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman | escalberc | scabbard |