Where does “shrift” come from?
Shrift derives from Old English sċrift, from the verb Old English sċrīfan, from Proto-Germanic skrībaną, from Latin scribo meaning to write, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European skreybʰ-.
shrift (English): The act of going to or hearing a religious...
Definitions
- The act of going to or hearing a religious...
Ancestry of “shrift”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | sċrift | what is prescribed as punishment; penalty |
| 2 | Old English | sċrīfan | 1. to decree, pass judgement, prescribe, 2. to... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | skrīban | to write |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | skrībaną | to write |
| 5 | Latin | scrībō | to write |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | skreiβō | to carve |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | skreybʰ- | to write |