Where does “spark” come from?

Spark comes from Middle English sparke, Old English spearca, Proto-Germanic sprakô, and Proto-Indo-European (s)per-, a root meaning to scatter or spring forth.

spark (English): A small particle of glowing matter, either molten...

Definitions

  1. A small particle of glowing matter, either molten...

Ancestry of “spark”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsparkespark glowing particle
2Old Englishspearcaa spark
3Proto-Germanicsprakôspark
4Proto-Indo-European(s)per-to strew, sow, sprinkle; to sow, sprinkle, strew;...

Words derived from “spark”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)per- →