Where does “rak” come from?

rak (Lower Sorbian) comes from Proto-Slavic rakъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic rṓˀkas, from Proto-Indo-European wreh₃kʷos — looking backwards.

rak (Lower Sorbian): crustacean; cancer; Cancer

Definitions

  1. crustacean; cancer; Cancer

Ancestry of “rak”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Slavicrakъcrayfish
2Proto-Balto-Slavicrṓˀkas—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwreh₃kʷoslooking backwards
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wreh₃kʷos →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic rṓˀkas →Every word from Proto-Slavic rakъ →
rak — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer