shaft etymology

Etymology

• Middle English: schafte, schafte, from Old English sceaft, sceaft (“shaft of a weapon, spear, arrow, etc., handle, pole, rod, stem, trunk”)
• Cognate with Old Saxon: skaft, Old High German: scaft, Dutch: schacht (“shaft”), Danish: skaft, Swedish: skaft, Icelandic: skapt
• From Proto-Germanic: @sakfti (“handle, pole, stem”), from Proto-Indo-European: @sképti (“to cut, split”)

Meaning

• A long, slender, and typically cylindrical object made of wood, metal, or other material, used as a handle, support, or axle.
• The main portion or part of something, especially a weapon, tool, or vehicle.
• A long, narrow strip or column of light or energy, such as a beam of sunlight.

Origin

The word "shaft" originated from the concept of cutting or splitting something, as reflected in its Proto-Indo-European root @sképti. This idea is evident in its early usage to refer to the handle or pole of a weapon or tool, which was often made by splitting a piece of wood. Over time, the meaning of "shaft" expanded to include other long, slender objects, such as the stem of a plant, the trunk of a tree, or the axle of a wheel.

shaft relate terms

• scepter

  Etymology The word scepter derives from the Old French word sceptre which in turn c

• shaft

  Etymology Middle English schafte schafte from Old English sceaft sceaft shaft of

• air shaft

  Etymology of Air Shaft Air shaft is a compound noun consisting of two words Air Mea

• shaft

  Etymology Middle English schafte schafte from Old English sceaft sceaft shaft of

• crankshaft

  Etymology The word crankshaft is derived from two sources Crank A bend or angle

• crank

  Etymology Middle English cranken from Old English cranc a bend turn or twist

• shaft

  Etymology Middle English schafte schafte from Old English sceaft sceaft shaft of

• quill

  Etymology The word quill comes from the Middle English word quylle which in turn is

• spear

  Etymology of Spear The word spear comes from the Old English word spere which desc

• lance

  Etymology The name Lance has multiple etymological roots Latin Lancea A thrus

• limber

  Etymology The word limber comes from the Middle Dutch word limmeren meaning supple

• crantara

  Etymology The word crantara has its origins in the Irish language It is a loanword de

• prod

  Etymology Latin prodere meaning to betray to expose Old French proder prower me

• radial

  Etymology The word radial is derived from the Latin word radius which means ray or

• teach

  Etymology Definition The study of the origin development and meaning of words Origin