Where does “harpe streng” come from?

harpe streng (Middle English) comes from Old English hearpestreng, from Old English hearpe, from Proto-Germanic harpǭ, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kreb-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.

Ancestry of “harpe streng”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhearpestrengharpstring
2Old Englishhearpeharp
3Proto-Germanicharpǭharp
4Proto-Indo-European(s)kreb-to turn; to touch; to turn, bend, shrink, rotate,...
5Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
6Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kreb- →
harpe streng — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer