Where does “flanker” come from?

flanker (French) comes from English flanker, from English flank, from Middle English flanc, from Old English flanc, from Old French flanc, from Frankish hlanca, from Proto-Germanic hlankaz, from Proto-Indo-European kleng- — to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist.

flanker (French): flanker

Definitions

  1. flanker

Ancestry of “flanker”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishflankerA player who plays in the back row of the scrum;...
2EnglishflankTo attack the flank of; To defend the flank of;...
3Middle Englishflanc
4Old Englishflancflank
5Old Frenchflancside; flank
6Frankishhlanca
7Proto-Germanichlankazflexible; bendsome; slim; slender; sleek
8Proto-Indo-Europeankleng-to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kleng-
flanker — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer