English
chalk
Chalk comes from Old English ċealc ‘plaster, mortar’, from Latin calx ‘limestone’, and perhaps ultimately from Ancient Greek χάλιξ ‘pebble’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχάλιξkhálix‘pebble’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcalx‘limestone’
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*kalk‘lime’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ċealc‘plaster’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500chalk
- Englishearliest quotation 1678same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχάλιξkhálix‘pebble’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcalx‘limestone’
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*kalk‘lime’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ċealc‘plaster’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500chalk
- Englishearliest quotation 1678same form
Earliest quotation: 1678, John Bunyan, The Author’s Apology for His Book: “This Book it chaulketh out before thine eyes /…”
Linked words
pairs
- chalk and calculate both from Latin calx ‘limestone, game counter’
through Latin calx ‘limestone’
calcium, calculus, quilt, counterpoint, causeway, calcareous, recalcitrant, calcite, inculcate, caulk, calzone, 35 more
Today it means
noun A soft, white, powdery limestone (calcium carbonate, CaCO₃).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χάλιξ / chalk