Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “smecken” come from?

smecken (Middle High German) comes from Middle English smecchen, from Old English smæċċan, from Proto-Germanic smakkijaną, from Proto-Germanic smakkuz, from Proto-Indo-European smegʰ-.

Ancestry of “smecken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsmecchento taste, smack
2Old Englishsmæċċanto taste
3Proto-Germanicsmakkijanąto taste
4Proto-Germanicsmakkuztaste, savour, smatch, flavour
5Proto-Indo-Europeansmegʰ-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smegʰ- →