Where does “shellwork” come from?
shellwork (English) comes from English work, from Middle English werk, from Old English weorc, from Proto-West Germanic werk, from Proto-Germanic werką, from Proto-Indo-European wérǵom, from Proto-Indo-European werǵ- — to make.
shellwork (English): The decoration made from patterns of shells
Definitions
- The decoration made from patterns of shells
Ancestry of “shellwork”, step by step
shellwork traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English work
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | work | "Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to... |
| 2 | Middle English | werk | work |
| 3 | Old English | weorc | work, in various senses, including |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | werk | work |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | werką | work |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wérǵom | work |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | werǵ- | to make |
via English Shell
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Shell | A diminutive of the female given name Michelle or Shelly |
| 2 | Middle English | schelle | — |
| 3 | Old English | sċiell | shell |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | skallju | scale; shell |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skaljō | shell; husk; rind; peel |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kelH- | to cut; to split, to separate |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kel- | to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,... |