Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “sterke” come from?

sterke (Middle English) comes from Old English stīrc, from Proto-Germanic stiurikaz, from Proto-Germanic steuraz, from Proto-Indo-European táwros — wild bull, aurochs.

Ancestry of “sterke”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishstīrc—
2Proto-Germanicstiurikazbullock
3Proto-Germanicsteurazbull
4Proto-Indo-Europeantáwroswild bull, aurochs

Words derived from “sterke”

  • stirk
Every word from Proto-Indo-European táwros →