Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “drake” come from?

drake (Middle English) comes from Old English draca, from Old English andraca, from Proto-West Germanic anadrekō, from Proto-West Germanic anad, from Old Irish anaid, from Proto-Celtic anati, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énh₁ti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- — to breathe.

drake (Middle English): male duck, drake; dragon; Satan

Definitions

  1. male duck, drake; dragon; Satan

Ancestry of “drake”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishdracadragon
2Old Englishandracamale duck, drake
3Proto-West Germanicanadrekōmale duck, drake
4Proto-West Germanicanadduck
5Old Irishanaidto stay, remain; to wait; to resist, to withstand
6Proto-Celticanatito pause; to remain
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂énh₁tito breathe
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁-to breathe

Words derived from “drake”

  • drake
  • sheldrake
  • icedrake
  • shielddrake
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- →