Where does “orc” come from?
orc (Old Irish) comes from Proto-Celtic ɸorkos, from Proto-Indo-European pórḱos, from Proto-Indo-European perḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.
orc (Old Irish): piglet
Ancestry of “orc”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Celtic | ɸorkos | pork, piglet |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-European | pórḱos | piglet |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | perḱ- | colored; motley; to open, rip up |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |