Where does “steek” come from?
steek (Scots) comes from Dutch steken, from Middle Dutch stēken, from Old Dutch stecan, from Proto-West Germanic stekan, from Proto-Germanic stikaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)teyg- — to be sharp; to sting.
steek (Scots): stitch
Definitions
- stitch
Ancestry of “steek”, step by step
steek traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch steken
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | steken | to prick, sting; to stab, thrust; to insert, put... |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | stēken | to prick, sting |
| 3 | Old Dutch | stecan | to sting, to prick |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | stekan | to pierce, to stab, to stick |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | stikaną | to stick; to stab |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)teyg- | to be sharp; to sting |
via Middle English steken
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | steken | to enclose |