Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “thresh” come from?

Thresh comes from Middle English thresshen, Old English þrescan, Proto-Germanic þreskaną, and Proto-Indo-European terh₁-, a root of uncertain meaning.

thresh (English): To separate the grain from the straw or husks by...

Definitions

  1. To separate the grain from the straw or husks by...

Ancestry of “thresh”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishthrasshenAlternative form of threschen
2Old Englishþerscan—
3Proto-Germanicþreskanąto thresh
4Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₁-to rub, turn; to drill, pierce

Words derived from “thresh”

  • threshable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- →