Where does “steeplejack” come from?
steeplejack (English) comes from English Jack, from Middle English jakke, from Anglo-Norman jacke, from Middle French jaque, from Middle French jacques, from French jacques, from Latin Iacobus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος — heel of the foot; heel.
steeplejack (English): A person whose job involves climbing tall structures like steeples in order to make repairs
Definitions
- A person whose job involves climbing tall structures like steeples in order to make repairs
Ancestry of “steeplejack”, step by step
steeplejack traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Jack
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Jack | A placeholder or conventional name for any man,... |
| 2 | Middle English | jakke | A padded coat, especially as light armour |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | jacke | — |
| 4 | Middle French | jaque | — |
| 5 | Middle French | jacques | — |
| 6 | French | jacques | plural of jacque; a stupid person; a jemmy or... |
| 7 | Latin | Iacobus | Jacob; James; Saint James |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | Ἰάκωβος | — |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | Ἰακώβ | Jacob |
| 10 | Hebrew | יַעֲקֹב | Jacob |
| 11 | Hebrew | עָקֵב | heel of the foot; heel |
via English steeple
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | steeple | A tall tower, often on a church, normally topped... |
| 2 | Middle English | stēpel | — |
| 3 | English | stable | A building, wing or dependency set apart and... |
| 4 | Middle English | stable | stable; Alternative form of stablie; Alternative... |
| 5 | Anglo-Norman | stable | — |
| 6 | Latin | stabilis | That stands firm; firm, steadfast, steady, sure,... |
| 7 | Latin | stare | present active infinitive of stō; stand; to be |
| 8 | Latin | sto | I stand; I stay, remain; I am |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | staēō | stand |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | sth₂éh₁yeti | to stand |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | *steh₂- | — |