Where does “sheepshank” come from?

sheepshank (English) comes from English shank, from Middle English schanke, from Middle High German schenken, from Old High German scenken, from Proto-West Germanic skankijan, from Proto-Germanic skankijaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kenǵ- — to limp.

sheepshank (English): A type of knot which is useful for shortening a...

Definitions

  1. A type of knot which is useful for shortening a...

Ancestry of “sheepshank”, step by step

sheepshank traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English shank

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshankThe part of the leg between the knee and the...
2Middle Englishschankeleg, limb; shank, shin; leg fur
3Middle High Germanschenken
4Old High Germanscenkento pur in, give drink to, water
5Proto-West Germanicskankijanto pour
6Proto-Germanicskankijanąto skew, tilt, tip; to pour
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kenǵ-to limp

via English sheep

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsheepA woolly ruminant of the genus "Ovis"; A timid,...
2Middle Englishsheepsheep
3Old Englishsċēapsheep
4Proto-West Germanicskāpsheep
5Proto-Germanicskapąshape
6Proto-Germanicskapjanąto make, to create; to shape
7Proto-Indo-Europeanskab-to cut, split, hew, shape; to cut, split, carve,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kenǵ-Every word from Proto-Germanic skankijanąEvery word from Proto-West Germanic skankijan
sheepshank — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer