Where does “makerel” come from?
makerel (Middle English) comes from Old French maquerel, from Middle Dutch makelare, from Low German maken, from Middle Low German māken, from Old Saxon makōn, from Proto-West Germanic makōn, from Proto-Germanic makaz, from Proto-Indo-European maǵ- — to oil, knead; to knead, oil.
Ancestry of “makerel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | maquerel | mackerel |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | makelare | — |
| 3 | Low German | maken | To make |
| 4 | Middle Low German | māken | — |
| 5 | Old Saxon | makōn | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | makōn | to build, work, make |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | makaz | fit, suitable, agreeable, comfortable |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | maǵ- | to oil, knead; to knead, oil |