Where does “shearing” come from?

Shearing comes from Middle English scheryng, from Old English -ing and -ung suffixes attached to Proto-Germanic skeraną meaning "to cut," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- and sek- meaning "to cut or sever."

shearing (English): Tending to cut or tear; present participle of...

Definitions

  1. Tending to cut or tear; present participle of...

Ancestry of “shearing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishscheryngeSheep-shearing; the trimming of sheep's wool
2Middle EnglishscherenTo cut; to slash or slice with a blade or sharp...
3Old Englishsċieranto cut
4Proto-West Germanicskeranto shear, to cut
5Proto-Germanicskeranąto shear
6Proto-Indo-Europeansḱer-to caw, crow

Words derived from “shearing”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skeraną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic skeran →