Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tack” come from?

Tack comes from Middle English tak and the suffix -en, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ-, meaning to show or point.

tack (English): A small nail with a flat head; A thumbtack; A...

Definitions

  1. A small nail with a flat head; A thumbtack; A...

Ancestry of “tack”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchtacheblot, stain or smear; spot; more or less...
2Old Frenchtascheduty; obligation
3Frankishtaskapouch
4Proto-Germanictaskǭbag, purse; pouch, pocket
5Proto-Indo-Europeandas-—
6Translingualda—
7Englishdeca-Greek number...
8Frenchdéca-deca-
9Latindecās—
10Ancient Greekδεκάςthe number ten; a group of ten, decade
11Ancient Greek-ᾰ́ςgroup of
12Proto-Indo-European-óntsDerives nouns denoting body parts
13Hungarianöntto pour; to cast; accusative singular of ön
14Hungarianönyou
15Hungarianön-self-

Words derived from “tack”

  • tacks
  • tacking
  • tacky
  • tacksman
  • thumbtack
  • tackiness
  • tackifier
  • tacker
  • tackless
  • tackily
  • untack
  • tacket
  • tintack
  • tackboard
  • retack
  • bartack
  • tackify
  • untacky
  • taca
  • tamtaks
Every word from Hungarian ön- →