Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “stroke” come from?

stroke (Middle English) comes from Middle English strok, from Old English strāc, from Scots straik, from Proto-Germanic straikaz, from Proto-Indo-European streyg-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ter- — strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to...

stroke (Middle English): Any striking or hitting motion; The force of...

Definitions

  1. Any striking or hitting motion; The force of...

Ancestry of “stroke”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishstrokAlternative form of stroke; Alternative form of...
2Old Englishstrācstroke
3ScotsstraikA stroke, a blow; To stroke
4Proto-GermanicstraikazA stroke, line, dash
5Proto-Indo-Europeanstreyg-to strike; to shear
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ter-strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to...

Words derived from “stroke”

  • stroke
  • stroking
  • sunstroke
  • keystroke
  • backstroke
  • upstroke
  • brushstroke
  • masterstroke
  • breaststroke
  • downstroke
  • poststroke
  • counterstroke
  • stroker
  • outstroke
  • sidestroke
  • strokelike
  • instroke
  • midstroke
  • groundstroke
  • ministroke
  • prestroke
  • breaststroker
  • penstroke
  • backstroker
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ter- →