Where does “wrench” come from?

wrench (Middle English) comes from Old English wrenċ, from Proto-West Germanic *wranki, from Proto-Germanic wrankiz, from Proto-Indo-European wreng- — to turn.

wrench (Middle English): A trick or artifice; a deceptive action

Definitions

  1. A trick or artifice; a deceptive action

Ancestry of “wrench”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwrenċwile, stratagem; trick, deceit
2Proto-West Germanic*wranki—
3Proto-Germanicwrankiza turning, twisting; a turn, twisting
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwreng-to turn

Words derived from “wrench”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wreng- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wrankiz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *wranki →