Etymograph

English

Mark Cross

Mark Cross comes from Old English mearc ‘mark, sign, character’, from Proto-West Germanic *marku ‘boundary, border’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mórǵs.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mórǵs‘edge, boundary, border’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*markō‘border, boundary’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*marku‘boundary, border’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150mearc‘mark, sign, character’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500marke
  6. EnglishtodayMark Cross

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mórǵs‘edge, boundary, border’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*markō‘border, boundary’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*marku‘boundary, border’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150mearc‘mark, sign, character’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500marke
  6. EnglishtodayMark Cross

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *mórǵs ‘edge, boundary, border’

margin, marge, margo, marchioness, 8 more

through Proto-Germanic *markō ‘border, boundary’

march, 4 more

Today it means

name A small village in Rotherfield parish, Wealden district, East Sussex, England (OS grid ref TQ5831).

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mórǵs / Mark Cross

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