Where does “tocsin” come from?
Tocsin comes from Old French toquesain, from Old Occitan tocasenh, from Old Occitan tocar meaning to touch or strike.
tocsin (English): An alarm or other signal sounded by a bell or...
Definitions
- An alarm or other signal sounded by a bell or...
Ancestry of “tocsin”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | toquesain | — |
| 2 | Old Occitan | tocasenh | — |
| 3 | Old Occitan | senh | bell |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | signum | — |
| 5 | Latin | signum | visible indication: sign, mark, signal; seal,... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | seknom | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |