Where does “shellcode” come from?

shellcode (English) comes from English Shell, from Middle English schelle, from Old English sċiell, from Proto-West Germanic skallju, from Proto-Germanic skaljō, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelH-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...

shellcode (English): A small piece of code, used as the payload of a...

Definitions

  1. A small piece of code, used as the payload of a...

Ancestry of “shellcode”, step by step

shellcode traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Shell

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishShellA diminutive of the female given name Michelle or Shelly
2Middle Englishschelle
3Old Englishsċiellshell
4Proto-West Germanicskalljuscale; shell
5Proto-Germanicskaljōshell; husk; rind; peel
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kelH-to cut; to split, to separate
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kel-to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...

via English code

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcodeA short symbol, often with little relation to the...
2Middle EnglishcodeAny kind of plant gum; a gummy or resinous...
3Old Englishcoddbag; sack; husk
4Proto-Germanickuddôbag; pod; sack; purse
5Proto-Indo-Europeangewt-sack; pouch; pouch, sack
6Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelH-Every word from Proto-Germanic skaljō