Where does “target” come from?

Target comes from Middle French targette, a diminutive of Middle French targe, which derives from Frankish targa, a small shield or buckler.

target (English): A butt or mark to shoot at, as for practice, or...

Definitions

  1. A butt or mark to shoot at, as for practice, or...

Ancestry of “target”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchtargette
2Old Frenchtargebuckler
3Frankishtargabuckler; shield
4Old Norsetargatarget, small round shield
5Proto-Germanictargǭedge, rim, border
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰōrgʰ-
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰregʰ-to run

Words derived from “target

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰregʰ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰōrgʰ-Every word from Old French targe