Where does “torch” come from?

torch (Middle English) comes from Old French torche, from Vulgar Latin torca, from Latin torquis, from Latin torqueō, from Proto-Indo-European terkʷ- — to turn, spin.

torch (Middle English): Alternative form of torche

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of torche

Ancestry of “torch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchtorchebundle; torch
2Vulgar Latintorca—
3Latintorquischaplet
4Latintorqueōto spin, whirl, twirl, turn, cause to revolve
5Proto-Indo-Europeanterkʷ-to turn, spin

Words derived from “torch”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European terkʷ- →