English

Jack the Ripper

September 1888, Jack + the + ripper, from the Dear Boss letter.

A compound of Jack + the + ripper

Middle Dutch Jan ‘John’

Middle Dutch Janke

Anglo-Norman Jakke

Middle English Jakke

English Jack

Proto-Indo-European *tód

Proto-Germanic *þa

Old English þē ‘the’

Middle English þe

English the

Today it means

name A supposed individual who was an unidentified 19th century serial killer in Whitechapel, London, England, UK; who has become part of folklore.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Jack the Ripper