Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wrench” come from?

Wrench comes from Middle English wrench, from Old English wrenċan, from Proto-Germanic wrankiz, from Proto-Indo-European wreng-.

wrench (English): A movement that twists or pulls violently; a tug;...

Definitions

  1. A movement that twists or pulls violently; a tug;...

Ancestry of “wrench”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwrench—
2Old Englishwrenċ—
3Proto-West Germanic*wranki—
4Proto-Germanicwrankiza turning, twisting; a turn, twisting
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwreng-to turn

Words derived from “wrench”

  • wrencher
  • wrenchlike
  • レンチ
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wreng- →