Where does “lank” come from?
lank (Middle English) comes from Old English hlanc, from Proto-West Germanic hlank, from Proto-Germanic hlankaz, from Proto-Indo-European kleng- — to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist.
Ancestry of “lank”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | hlanc | loose, slender, flaccid, lank |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | hlank | flexible, bent |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hlankaz | flexible; bendsome; slim; slender; sleek |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kleng- | to turn, bend; to bend, turn, wind, twist |
Words derived from “lank”