Where does “sharpshooter” come from?

Sharpshooter derives from English sharp, from Middle English scharp, from Old English sċearp, from Proto-Germanic skarpaz, tracing ultimately to Proto-Indo-European sek-, meaning to cut.

sharpshooter (English): A person trained to shoot precisely with a rifle;...

Definitions

  1. A person trained to shoot precisely with a rifle;...

Ancestry of “sharpshooter”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanScharfschützesniper
2Germanscharfsharp; able to cut; sharp; sharp; in focus
3Middle High Germanscharpfsharp
4Old High Germanscarfsharp
5Proto-West Germanicskarpsharp
6Proto-Germanicskarpazrough
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kerb-rough, sharp
8Proto-Indo-Europeansḱer-to caw, crow

Words derived from “sharpshooter”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerb- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skarpaz →