Where does “zinc” come from?
zinc (French) comes from German zink, from Middle High German zinke, from Old High German zinko, from Proto-Germanic tindaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃dónts, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- — to eat.
zinc (French): zinc
Definitions
- zinc
Ancestry of “zinc”, step by step
zinc traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German zink
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | zink | singular imperative of zinken; first-person... |
| 2 | Middle High German | zinke | tine, prong |
| 3 | Old High German | zinko | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | tindaz | tooth; cog; peg; tine; nail; spike; prong; peak;... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃dónts | tooth |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ed- | to eat |
via French zincou
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | zincou | Synonym of cousin |