Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “specan” come from?

specan (Old English) comes from Old English sprecan, from Proto-West Germanic *sprekan, from Proto-Germanic sprekaną, from Proto-Indo-European spreg- — to make a sound, speak; to make a sound, utter,...

specan (Old English): Alternative form of sprecan; to speak

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of sprecan; to speak

Ancestry of “specan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishsprecanto speak, talk
2Proto-West Germanic*sprekan—
3Proto-Germanicsprekanąto speak, to make a noise
4Proto-Indo-Europeanspreg-to make a sound, speak; to make a sound, utter,...

Words derived from “specan”

  • speak
  • spoke
  • spoken
  • spake
  • unspoken
  • spokesman
  • outspoken
  • spokesperson
  • bespoke
  • speaketh
  • bespeak
  • speakest
  • spick
  • outspokenness
  • bespoken
  • speakeasy
  • spoked
  • plainspoken
  • doublespeak
  • outspokenly
  • Newspeak
  • unspeaking
  • speakable
  • spokeshave
Every word from Proto-Indo-European spreg- →