Where does “tacks” come from?

Tacks comes from Middle English tak, derived from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ-, a root meaning to show or point, which developed into the sense of fastening or directing.

tacks (English): plural of tack; Third-person singular simple...

Definitions

  1. plural of tack; Third-person singular simple...

Ancestry of “tacks”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtackA small nail with a flat head; A thumbtack; A...
2Frenchtacheblot, stain or smear; spot; more or less...
3Old Frenchtascheduty; obligation
4Frankishtaskapouch
5Proto-Germanictaskǭbag, purse; pouch, pocket
6Proto-Indo-Europeandas-
7Translingualda
8Englishdeca-Greek number...
9Frenchdéca-deca-
10Latindecāsa decade (period of ten years)
11Ancient Greekδεκάςthe number ten; a group of ten, decade
12Ancient Greek-ᾰ́ςgroup of
13Proto-Indo-European-óntsDerives nouns denoting body parts
14Hungarianöntto pour; to cast; accusative singular of ön
15Hungarian-tUsed to form the accusative case; -ed, -t. Used...
Every word from Hungarian -t