Where does “stroke” come from?
Stroke comes from Middle English strak, which derives from Proto-Indo-European streyg-, ultimately from the root (s)ter-.
stroke (English): An act of stroking; A blow or hit; A single...
Definitions
- An act of stroking; A blow or hit; A single...
Ancestry of “stroke”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | stroke | Any striking or hitting motion; The force of... |
| 2 | Middle English | strok | Alternative form of stroke; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Old English | strāc | stroke |
| 4 | Scots | straik | A stroke, a blow; To stroke |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | straikaz | A stroke, line, dash |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | streyg- | to strike; to shear |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ter- | strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to... |