Where does “thicken” come from?
Thicken derives from Middle English thickenen, from the adjective thicke, which developed from Old English þicce, traceable through Proto-Germanic þekuz to the Proto-Indo-European root teg-.
thicken (English): To make thicker; To become thicker; To...
Definitions
- To make thicker; To become thicker; To...
Ancestry of “thicken”, step by step
thicken traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English thickenen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | thickenen | To coagulate, solidify, increase in viscosity,... |
| 2 | Middle English | thikke | Alternative form of thicke |
| 3 | Old English | þicce | thick |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | þikkwī | thick |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | þekuz | thick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | tégus | thick |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | teg- | — |
via Old Norse þykkna
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | þykkna | — |