Etymograph

English

canker

Canker comes from Latin cancer ‘a crab’, from Proto-Italic *kankros ‘enclosure, fence’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to turn, bend’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ker-‘to turn, bend’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kr-kr-‘circular’reconstructedreduplication of *(s)ker-
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*karkros‘enclosure’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*kankros‘enclosure, fence’reconstructeddissimilation of *karkros
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcancer‘a crab’
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150same form
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500canker
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1562same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ker-‘to turn, bend’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kr-kr-‘circular’reconstructedreduplication of *(s)ker-
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*karkros‘enclosure’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*kankros‘enclosure, fence’reconstructeddissimilation of *karkros
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcancer‘a crab’
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150same form
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500canker
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1562same form

Earliest quotation: 1562, Williyam Bulleyn [i.e., The Booke of Simples: “This Caſtoꝛ liueth by water and lande, he loueth…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to turn, bend’

short, across, share, cross, screen, score, card, shirt, circle, circuit, crucial, curve, circus, circulation, skirt, scare, curb, scrutiny, shrine, carnival, crest, scar, corona, shear, scorpion, shred, circa, raffle, circulate, corolla, scorn, shrewd, carnage, incarceration, crux, shard, carcinoma, cirque, circulatory, crepe, 114 more

through Proto-Italic *kankros ‘enclosure, fence’

cancerous, chancellery, 5 more

through Latin cancer ‘a crab’

cancer, cancellation, chancel, 7 more

Another origin of canker

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cankren
  2. Englishtodaycanker

Today it means

noun A plant disease marked by gradual decay.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- / canker

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