Where does “shackle” come from?
Shackle derives from English shack, which comes from Nahuatl xacalli, tracing back through Proto-Indo-European skek- and (s)kek- to the suffix -lós.
shackle (English): A restraint fit over a human or animal appendage,...
Definitions
- A restraint fit over a human or animal appendage,...
Ancestry of “shackle”, step by step
shackle traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English schakkyl
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | schakkyl | — |
| 2 | Old English | sċeacel | shackle |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | skakulaz | a link in a chain; a fetter |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | skakaną | to swing; to shake; to escape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | skeg- | to jump, spring; to jump; move |
via Middle English schakle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | schakle | — |