Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “whisking” come from?

Whisking derives from English whisk, which comes from Old Norse visk, from Proto-Germanic wiskō, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root weys-.

whisking (English): present participle of whisk; The motion of...

Definitions

  1. present participle of whisk; The motion of...

Ancestry of “whisking”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhiskA quick, light sweeping motion; A kitchen...
2Old Norsevisk—
3Proto-Germanicwiskōbundle of hay, wisp
4Proto-Germanicwiskazbundle of hay/straw, wisp
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweys-to raise, increase; to produce, procreate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weys- →