Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sick” come from?

Sick comes from English seek, which derives from Proto-Indo-European so, Latin si, and Proto-Indo-European sey- combined with the suffix -kos.

sick (English): In poor health; ill; Having an urge to vomit;...

Definitions

  1. In poor health; ill; Having an urge to vomit;...

Ancestry of “sick”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsicThus; thus written; To mark with a bracketed sic;...
2EnglishseekTo try to find; to look for; to search for; To...
3Middle EnglishsekeAlternative form of seken
4Old Englishsēċanto seek or inquire about
5Proto-West Germanicsōkijanto seek, to look for
6Proto-Germanicsōkijanąto seek, look for
7Proto-Indo-Europeanséh₂gyetito give a sign
8Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂g-to seek out

Words derived from “sick”

  • lovesick
  • sickroom
  • heartsick
  • sickbed
  • sickbay
  • sicko
  • lovesickness
  • sickish
  • carsick
  • heartsickness
  • airsick
  • brainsick
  • sicky
  • sickout
  • brainsickly
  • sickishly
  • greensick
  • soulsick
  • spacesick
  • unsick
  • sickishness
  • turnsick
  • sicknik
  • sickbag
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seh₂g- →