Where does “scharmutz” come from?
scharmutz (Middle High German) comes from Middle French escarmuche, from Old French escharmuche, from Old Italian scaramuccia, from Frankish skirmijan, from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- — to caw, crow.
Ancestry of “scharmutz”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | escarmuche | scuffle |
| 2 | Old French | escharmuche | skirmish |
| 3 | Old Italian | scaramuccia | skirmish |
| 4 | Frankish | skirmijan | to shelter; to protect, defend |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱer- | to caw, crow |