Where does “cleken” come from?
cleken (Middle English) comes from Middle English clechen, from Old English clēċan, from Old English clyċċan, from Proto-Germanic klukjaną, from Proto-Germanic klu-, from Proto-Indo-European glew-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.
cleken (Middle English): to seize, clutch; to hatch
Definitions
- to seize, clutch; to hatch
Ancestry of “cleken”, step by step
cleken traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English clechen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | clechen | to grab |
| 2 | Old English | clēċan | — |
| 3 | Old English | clyċċan | to clutch, clench |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | klukjaną | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | klu- | to ball up, conglomerate, amass |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | glew- | Alternative form of *gley-; to amass,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵel- | to swallow; swallow |
via Old Norse klekja
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | klekja | to hatch |