Where does “treacle” come from?
Treacle comes from Middle English triacle, from Old French triacle, from Latin theriaca, from Ancient Greek θηριακή, derived from the adjective θηριακός meaning "of wild animals," from θήρ meaning "wild animal," ultimately from Proto-Hellenic kʷʰḗr and Proto-Indo-European ǵʰwer-.
treacle (English): A syrupy byproduct of sugar refining; molasses or...
Definitions
- A syrupy byproduct of sugar refining; molasses or...
Ancestry of “treacle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | triacle | treacle, theriac |
| 2 | Old French | triacle | — |
| 3 | Vulgar Latin | *triaca | — |
| 4 | Latin | theriaca | antidote, counter-remedy, panacea, antitoxin,... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | θηριακή | an antidote against a poisonous bite |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | θηρίον | wild animal, beast, savage beast; a small animal,... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | θήρ | a wild beast, beast of prey, especially a lion;... |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | kʷʰḗr | wild beast |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰwer- | wild; wild animal |