speck etymology

Etymology

• Old English specca ("piece of fat, lard, bacon")
• Proto-Germanic *spekkaz
• Proto-Indo-European _*speg-*, _*speḱ- ("to dye", "to mark")

Meaning and Origin

The word "speck" originally referred to a fatty piece of meat, especially from a pig. It is related to the Old English word speccian ("to spot"), which in turn comes from the Proto-Indo-European root _*speg-*, meaning "to dye" or "to mark."

Over time, the word "speck" came to be used more broadly for any small spot or mark. It can also refer to a small amount or trace of something, such as a speck of dust.

Related Words

• Speckled
• Speckle
• Spectacles
• Speculate
• Suspect

speck relate terms

• speckle

  Etymology Middle English speckel from Old English specca Germanic origin related to

• speck

  Etymology Old English specca piece of fat lard bacon Proto Germanic spekkaz Proto

• atom

  Etymology The word atom is derived from the Greek word átomos which literally mean

• molecule

  Etymology Latin molecula small mass Late Latin molecula small mass of matter

• particle

  Etymology Late Latin particula diminutive of pars part Meaning A minute portio

• spot

  Etymology The word spot traces its origins back to Old English OE specifically to t

• flake

  Etymology The word flake comes from the Old Norse word flaka which means a thin pie

• motley

  Etymology The word motley is derived from the following sources Old French motele

• wall eyed

  Etymology Wall eyed is a compound word derived from two Old English terms Wealh

• grain

  Etymology The word grain ultimately derives from the Proto Indo European root gʰer

• patch

  Etymology The word patch has several possible etymologies Middle Dutch patse or

• post

  Etymology From Middle English post from Anglo Norman and Old French post from Latin p