Where does “three-pronged” come from?
three-pronged (English) comes from English pronged, from English prong, from Middle English prōnge, from Middle Low German prange, from Middle Low German prangen, from Old Saxon *prangan, from Proto-West Germanic *prangan — to press.
three-pronged (English): Having three prongs or similar parts; trifurcate
Definitions
- Having three prongs or similar parts; trifurcate
Ancestry of “three-pronged”, step by step
three-pronged traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English pronged
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pronged | Having prongs |
| 2 | English | prong | A thin, pointed, projecting part, as of an antler... |
| 3 | Middle English | prōnge | affliction, agony, pain; pointed instrument |
| 4 | Middle Low German | prange | pole, stake; kind of pillory or stocks; stick,... |
| 5 | Middle Low German | prangen | to press, pinch |
| 6 | Old Saxon | *prangan | — |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | *prangan | to press |