Where does “sickroom” come from?
Sickroom is a compound of English sick and English room, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European roots including rowə- and -kos.
sickroom (English): A room to be used by someone who is ill
Definitions
- A room to be used by someone who is ill
Ancestry of “sickroom”, step by step
sickroom traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English sick
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sick | In poor health; ill; Having an urge to vomit;... |
| 2 | English | sic | Thus; thus written; To mark with a bracketed sic;... |
| 3 | English | seek | To try to find; to look for; to search for; To... |
| 4 | Middle English | seke | Alternative form of seken |
| 5 | Old English | sēċan | to seek or inquire about |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | sōkijan | to seek, to look for |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | sōkijaną | to seek, look for |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | séh₂gyeti | to give a sign |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | seh₂g- | to seek out |
via English room
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | room | Opportunity or scope; Space "for" something, or... |
| 2 | Middle English | roum | A space or area; A room |
| 3 | Old English | rūm | room, space; roomy, spacious, ample, extensive,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | rūm | roomy, spacious; room, open space |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | rūmaz | roomy, spacious, open |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | rewh₁- | free space |