Etymograph

English

deck

Deck comes from Middle English dekke, from Middle Dutch dec ‘roof’, from Old Dutch thecken ‘to cover’, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *þakjaną.

  1. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*þakjanąreconstructed
  2. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*þakkjanreconstructed
  3. Old Dutchc. 500–1150thecken‘to cover’
  4. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500decken‘to roof’
  5. Middle Dutch, derivedc. 1150–1500dec‘roof’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500dekke
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1655deck

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*þakjanąreconstructed
  2. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*þakkjanreconstructed
  3. Old Dutchc. 500–1150thecken‘to cover’
  4. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500decken‘to roof’
  5. Middle Dutch, derivedc. 1150–1500dec‘roof’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500dekke
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1655deck

Earliest quotation: 1655, Philip Massinger, The Guardian: “A paper-blurrer, who on all occasions, / For all…”

The story

Formed the same: German Decke (‘covering, blanket’).

Linked words

through Proto-Germanic *þakjaną

tian, 2 more

through Proto-West Germanic *þakkjan

thatch, 1 more

through Middle Dutch dec ‘roof, covering’

dicky

Another origin of deck

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tog-o-sreconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*þaką‘roof’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*þakjaną‘to roof’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*þakkjanreconstructed
  5. Old Dutchc. 500–1150thecken‘to cover’
  6. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500dekken‘to cover’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  8. Englishtodaydeck

Today it means

noun Any raised flat surface that can be walked on: a balcony; a porch; a raised patio; a flat rooftop.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *þakjaną / deck

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