Where does “stretch” come from?

Stretch comes from Middle English strecchen, from Old English streċċan, from Proto-West Germanic strakkjan, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European streg- and (s)terg-.

stretch (English): To lengthen by pulling; To lengthen when pulled;...

Definitions

  1. To lengthen by pulling; To lengthen when pulled;...

Ancestry of “stretch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishstrecchenTo stretch out, spread, extend; To stretch,...
2Old Englishstreċċanto stretch, hold out, extend, spread out,...
3Proto-West Germanicstrakkjanto stretch, to make straight
4Proto-Indo-European(s)treg-rigid, stiff; to be stiff, rigid, strong

Words derived from “stretch”

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