Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “stricken” come from?

Stricken comes from the past participle of Old English strīcan, traced through Proto-Indo-European streyg- and (s)ter-, roots meaning to stroke or spread.

stricken (English): Struck by something; Disabled or incapacitated by...

Definitions

  1. Struck by something; Disabled or incapacitated by...

Ancestry of “stricken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishstriken—
2Old Englishstricen—
3Proto-Germanicstrikanaz—
4Proto-Germanicstrīkanąto stroke, to rub
5Proto-Indo-Europeanstreyg-to strike; to shear
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ter-strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to...

Words derived from “stricken”

  • awestricken
  • terrorstricken
  • heartstricken
  • thunderstricken
  • unstricken
  • strickenly
  • sunstricken
  • strickenness
  • moonstricken
  • stage-stricken
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ter- →