Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “clin” come from?

clin (French) comes from Middle French clinc, from Dutch klinken, from Middle Dutch clingen, from Old Dutch clingan, from Proto-Germanic klinganą, from Proto-Indo-European glengʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European gal- — to call, cry; to sound; to roop, scream, shout.

clin (French): Found only in the expression clin d’œil

Definitions

  1. Found only in the expression clin d’œil

Ancestry of “clin”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchclinc—
2Dutchklinkento sound; to clink glasses; to nail, to rivet, to...
3Middle Dutchclingento sound, to resound; to cling, to stick; to...
4Old Dutchclinganto sound
5Proto-Germanicklinganąto sound; to adhere to, cling to
6Proto-Indo-Europeanglengʰ-sound
7Proto-Indo-Europeangal-to call, cry; to sound; to roop, scream, shout
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gal- →