Where does “skate” come from?

Skate comes from Dutch schaats, from Middle Dutch schāetse, from Old French escache, from Frankish skakkja.

skate (English): A runner or blade, usually of steel, with a frame...

Definitions

  1. A runner or blade, usually of steel, with a frame...

Ancestry of “skate”, step by step

skate traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch schaats

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchschaatsskate, ice skate; stilt
2Middle Dutchschāetsestilt
3Old Frenchescachea stilt, trestle
4Frankishskakkjastilt
5Old Saxonskakan—
6Proto-Germanicskakanąto swing; to shake; to escape
7Proto-Indo-Europeanskeg-to jump, spring; to jump; move

via English Sawyer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSawyerfor someone who made a living from sawing wood
2Swedishsegervictory
3Old Norsesigrvictory
4Proto-Germanicsegazvictory, triumph
5Proto-Indo-Europeanséǵʰospower, strength
6Proto-Indo-Europeanseǵʰ-to hold; to overpower

via Middle English skat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishskat—
2Old Norseskataskate
3Old Norseskade—

Words derived from “skate”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European skeg- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skakaną →Every word from Old Saxon skakan →