Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “skedaddle” come from?

skedaddle (English) comes from English scaddle, from Middle English scathel, from Old English sceaþol, from Proto-Germanic skaþulaz, from Proto-Germanic skaþōną, from Proto-Germanic skaþô, from Proto-Indo-European sket- — to injure.

skedaddle (English): To move or run away quickly; To spill; to...

Definitions

  1. To move or run away quickly; To spill; to...

Ancestry of “skedaddle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscaddleAlternative form of scathel; Alternative form of...
2Middle Englishscathelharmful
3Old Englishsceaþol—
4Proto-Germanicskaþulaztending to cause harm, harmful
5Proto-Germanicskaþōnąto injure, harm, damage
6Proto-Germanicskaþôdamage, scathe; one who causes damage; injurer
7Proto-Indo-Europeansket-to injure

Words derived from “skedaddle”

  • skedaddler
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sket- →