Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “scotch” come from?

Scotch comes from Old French escocher, formed with the prefix es- (from Latin ex-) and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European eǵ-, though the precise sense development remains unclear.

scotch (English): A surface cut or abrasion; A line drawn on the...

Definitions

  1. A surface cut or abrasion; A line drawn on the...

Ancestry of “scotch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishscocchento score, nick, cut; to cut
2Old Frenchescocherto notch
3Old Frenchçoche—
4Vulgar Latin*tsucca—
5Gaulishtsukka—
6Proto-Germanicstukkazstick; beam; post; stump
7Proto-Indo-European(s)tewg-to push, to hit
8Proto-Indo-European(s)tew-to push, to hit

Words derived from “scotch”

  • hopscotch
  • scotching
  • hopscotcher
  • scotcher
  • scotch
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- →