Where does “strike” come from?
Strike comes from Middle English striken, from Old English strīcan, from Proto-Germanic strīkaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European streyg-.
strike (English): To delete or cross out; to scratch or eliminate;...
Definitions
- To delete or cross out; to scratch or eliminate;...
Ancestry of “strike”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | stryken | to strike |
| 2 | Old English | strīcan | to stroke, pass lightly over the surface, smooth,... |
| 3 | Frankish | strīkan | to move or pass one thing over another, strike;... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | strīkaną | to stroke, to rub |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | streyg- | to strike; to shear |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ter- | strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to... |