Where does “stickle” come from?

stickle (English) comes from Middle English stikel, from Old English sticel, from Proto-Germanic stiklaz, from Proto-Germanic stikiz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)teyg- — to be sharp; to sting.

stickle (English): A sharp point; prickle; a spine; steep; high;...

Definitions

  1. A sharp point; prickle; a spine; steep; high;...

Ancestry of “stickle”, step by step

stickle traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English stikel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishstikel
2Old Englishsticelprickle, sting; a prickle, sting, goad
3Proto-Germanicstiklaz
4Proto-Germanicstikiza sticking, prick
5Proto-Indo-European(s)teyg-to be sharp; to sting

via English stightle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishstightleto order, arrange, direct
2Middle Englishstightelen

Words derived from “stickle

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)teyg-Every word from Proto-Germanic stikizEvery word from Proto-Germanic stiklaz