Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sickle” come from?

Sickle comes from Middle English sikel, from Old English sicol, from Proto-Germanic sikilō, from Latin secula, derived from Latin seco meaning to cut, from Proto-Indo-European sek-.

sickle (English): An implement having a semicircular blade and...

Definitions

  1. An implement having a semicircular blade and...

Ancestry of “sickle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsikel—
2Old Englishsicolsickle
3Proto-Germanic*sikilu—
4Latinseculaa sickle; nominative plural of sēculum;...
5Latinsecō—
6Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “sickle”

  • sickled
  • sicklelike
  • sicklepod
  • sickler
  • sicklebill
  • sickleman
  • sicklemia
  • moonsickle
  • sicklemic
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →