Where does “woolsack” come from?
woolsack (English) comes from English Sack, from Middle English sak, from Old English sacc, from Old English sæcc, from Proto-West Germanic sakku, from Proto-Germanic sakkuz, from Latin saccus, from Ancient Greek σάκκος — sack; sackcloth; sackcloth vestment, penitential...
woolsack (English): A wool bale or cushion, the traditional seat of...
Definitions
- A wool bale or cushion, the traditional seat of...
Ancestry of “woolsack”, step by step
woolsack traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Sack
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Sack | A bag; especially a large bag of strong, coarse material for storage and handling of various commodities, such as potatoes, coal, coffee; or, a bag with handles used at a supermarket, a grocery sack; or, a small bag for small items, a satchel |
| 2 | Middle English | sak | bag, sackcloth |
| 3 | Old English | sacc | sack, bag |
| 4 | Old English | sæcc | battle, strife, fighting |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | sakku | sack, bag |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | sakkuz | sack, bag, purse |
| 7 | Latin | saccus | sack, bag; purse, wallet, moneybag; garment of... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | σάκκος | sack; sackcloth; sackcloth vestment, penitential... |
via English Wool
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Wool | OS grid ref SY8486 |
| 2 | Middle English | wolle | wool coat of sheep, especially when used to make fabric |
| 3 | Old English | wull | wool |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | wullu | wool |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wullō | wool |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂ | wool |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -nós | Creates verbal adjectives from roots |