streak etymology

Etymology:

• Middle English: "streek"
• Old English: "strecan"
• Proto-Germanic: "*straikjaną"
• Proto-Indo-European: "*streygʰ-" (to stretch)

Meaning:

1. A long, narrow line or mark made by something sharp or narrow; a scratch.
2. A thin layer or line of something spread or smeared.
3. A thin strip of land, especially one with a distinctive appearance.
4. (Figurative) A period of time characterized by a particular activity, quality, or experience.

Origin:

The word "streak" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*streygʰ-", which means "to stretch." This root is also the origin of the English words "strike," "string," and "straight."

In Old English, the word "strecan" meant "to make straight" or "to mark with a line." It could also refer to a long, thin strip of land.

In Middle English, the spelling changed to "streek," and the meaning expanded to include any long, narrow line or mark. The figurative meaning of "a period of time characterized by a particular activity" developed in the 19th century.

streak relate terms

• streak

  Etymology Middle English streek Old English strecan Proto Germanic straikjaną

• streak

  Etymology Middle English streek Old English strecan Proto Germanic straikjaną

• stretch

  Etymology The word stretch comes from the Middle English word streccan which in tur

• string

  Etymology The word string comes from the Middle English word streng which itself com

• strigil

  Etymology The word strigil comes from Latin strigilis which in turn derives from Gr

• strike

  Etymology The word strike comes from the Middle English word striken which is derive

• stroke

  Etymology The word stroke comes from the Old English word strāc which means a blow

• foam

  Etymology The word foam comes from the Old Norse word fóm which means foam or sc

• stripe

  Etymology The word stripe derives from the Middle Dutch word stripen meaning to sc

• eclair

  Etymology The word éclair comes from the French word éclair meaning lightning bo

• basalt

  Etymology The word basalt is derived from the Latin word basaltes plural basaltae

• stair

  Etymology The word stair originates from the Old Norse word steigr meaning path o

• characteristic

  Etymology Character lt Latin character engraving tool writing implement character