Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sink” come from?

Sink comes from Old English sincan, from Proto-Germanic sinkwaną, from Proto-Indo-European sengʷ-, a root of uncertain original meaning.

sink (English): "To move or be moved into something."; "To...

Definitions

  1. "To move or be moved into something."; "To...

Ancestry of “sink”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanzinksingular imperative of zinken; first-person...
2Middle High Germanzinketine, prong
3Old High Germanzinko—
4Proto-Germanictindaztooth; cog; peg; tine; nail; spike; prong; peak;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃dóntstooth
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ed-to eat

Words derived from “sink”

  • sunk
  • sinking
  • sinker
  • countersink
  • unsinkable
  • sinkage
  • sinketh
  • sinkest
  • sinkful
  • sinkable
  • unsinkability
  • unsunk
  • sinkerball
  • diesinker
  • unsinking
  • sinkerballer
  • nonsinkable
  • diesinking
  • sinkwater
  • sinklike
  • sinkless
  • antisink
  • sinkward
  • sinkerballing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- →