Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sketch” come from?

Sketch comes from Dutch schets, borrowed from Italian schizzo, derived from Latin scheda, from Ancient Greek σχέδη, related to σχεδόν and ultimately ἔχω, tracing back through Proto-Hellenic ékʰō to Proto-Indo-European seǵʰ-.

sketch (English): To make a brief, basic drawing; To describe...

Definitions

  1. To make a brief, basic drawing; To describe...

Ancestry of “sketch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchschetssketch
2Italianschizzosquirt, splash; stain, spot, flake; sketch
3Latinschedium—
4Ancient Greekσχέδιοςnear, close; temporary, offhand, casual,...
5Ancient Greekσχεδόνnear, nearby; nearly, almost
6Ancient GreekἔχωI have, possess, contain, own; I hold; I have...
7Proto-Hellenichékʰō—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanseǵʰ-to hold; to overpower

Words derived from “sketch”

  • sketching
  • sketchy
  • sketchbook
  • sketcher
  • sketchily
  • sketchiness
  • sketchable
  • sketchlike
  • sketchability
  • sketchwriter
  • resketch
  • sketch-ass
  • foresketch
  • thumb-sketch
  • sketch
  • sketch
  • sketch
  • Sketch
  • esquete
  • cabaretsketch
  • sketch
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seǵʰ- →