Where does “strach” come from?

strach (Polish) comes from Proto-Slavic straxъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic strākš-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)treg- — rigid, stiff; to be stiff, rigid, strong.

strach (Polish): fear; scarecrow

Definitions

  1. fear; scarecrow

Ancestry of “strach”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Slavicstraxъfear, terror
2Proto-Balto-Slavicstrākš-—
3Proto-Indo-European(s)treg-rigid, stiff; to be stiff, rigid, strong
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)treg- →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic strākš- →Every word from Proto-Slavic straxъ →