Where does “slice” come from?
slice (Middle English) comes from Old French esclis, from Old French esclicier, from Old French esclicer, from Frankish slitjan, from Proto-Germanic slitjaną, from Proto-Germanic slītaną, from Proto-Indo-European sleyd-.
Ancestry of “slice”, step by step
slice traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French esclis
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | esclis | a piece split off |
| 2 | Old French | esclicier | Alternative form of esclicer; to splinter, split... |
| 3 | Old French | esclicer | to shatter, split, cleave |
| 4 | Frankish | slitjan | to split up |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | slitjaną | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | slītaną | to tear apart |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sleyd- | — |
via Old French esclice
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | esclice | — |