Where does “sledgehammer” come from?
sledgehammer (English) comes from English Hammer, from Middle English hamer, from Old English hamor, from Proto-West Germanic *hamar, from Proto-Germanic hamaraz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱmoros, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éḱmō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱ- — sharp.
sledgehammer (English): A hammer that consists of a large, heavy, broad...
Definitions
- A hammer that consists of a large, heavy, broad...
Ancestry of “sledgehammer”, step by step
sledgehammer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Hammer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Hammer | someone connected with West Ham Football Club, as... |
| 2 | Middle English | hamer | A hammer; A fierce individual; one with strong... |
| 3 | Old English | hamor | hammer |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *hamar | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hamaraz | hammer |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱmoros | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éḱmō | stone |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |