Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “plank” come from?

plank (Middle English) comes from Old French planke, from Vulgar Latin planca, from Latin palanca, from Ottoman Turkish پلانقه, from Italian paranco, from Italian palanco, from Vulgar Latin palanca, from Latin phalanga — to balk, beam.

Ancestry of “plank”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old FrenchplankeAlternative form of planche
2Vulgar Latinplanca—
3Latinpalancaslat, plank or stake; palanka, a palisaded...
4Ottoman Turkishپلانقهa kind of palisaded fortification erected by the...
5Italianparancohoist
6ItalianpalancoAlternative form of paranco
7Vulgar Latinpalancaslat, plank or stake; palanka, a palisaded...
8Latinphalangawooden roller; carrying pole; alternative form of...
9Ancient Greekφάλαγξline of battle, battle-array; ranks of an army;...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰelǵ-to balk, beam

Words derived from “plank”

  • plank
  • planking
  • gangplank
  • plankway
  • planklike
  • plankless
  • plankwise
  • plankboard
  • planko-sulo
  • planko
  • plangk
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵ- →