Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “whip” come from?

Whip comes from Middle English whippen, from Middle Dutch wippen, though the ultimate origin and original meaning remain uncertain.

whip (English): A lash; a pliant, flexible instrument, such as a...

Definitions

  1. A lash; a pliant, flexible instrument, such as a...

Ancestry of “whip”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwhippen—
2Middle Dutchwippento swing, leap, dance, oscillate

Words derived from “whip”

  • whipping
  • whiplash
  • horsewhip
  • whipper
  • bullwhip
  • whipt
  • whipcord
  • whiplike
  • whipsaw
  • whippy
  • whipworm
  • whomp
  • stockwhip
  • whipstitch
  • whiptail
  • whipstock
  • whipster
  • cartwhip
  • whipcrack
  • whipstaff
  • dogwhip
  • unwhipt
  • overwhip
  • whippee
Every word from Middle Dutch wippen →