Where does “sheer” come from?
Sheer comes from Dutch scheren, Old English scearu, Old Dutch skeran, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- meaning to cut or divide.
sheer (English): Very thin or transparent; Pure in composition;...
Definitions
- Very thin or transparent; Pure in composition;...
Ancestry of “sheer”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | shere | shears; An individual blade; Alternative form of... |
| 2 | Old English | sċǣre | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | skairiz | pure; sheer; shining; clear |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱēy- | to shine; to shimmer; shadow; luster, gloss,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skaidą | separation, distinction |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | skÁit- | to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,... |