Where does “starc” come from?

starc (Middle English) comes from Old English stearc, from Proto-West Germanic stark, from Proto-Germanic starkaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)terg- — to be stiff; rigid; rigid, stiff.

Ancestry of “starc”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Old English	stearc	severe, stern, harsh; stiff, rigid, not bending,...
2	Proto-West Germanic	stark	stiff, stark
3	Proto-Germanic	starkaz	—
4	Proto-Indo-European	(s)terg-	to be stiff; rigid; rigid, stiff

Words derived from “starc”

stark
starkish

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)terg- →

starc — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer