English
flange
Flange comes from Old French flanche ‘flank, side’, and goes back to Frankish *hlanku ‘bend, curve’.
- Frankishc. 250–700*hlanku‘bend, curve’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400flanche‘flank, side’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
- English1500–presentflanch‘a projection’
- Englishearliest quotation 1980sflange
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Frankishc. 250–700*hlanku‘bend, curve’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400flanche‘flank, side’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
- English1500–presentflanch‘a projection’
- Englishearliest quotation 1980sflange
Earliest quotation: 1980s, Not the Nine O'clock News: “it's a flange of baboons”.
The story
As a term for a group of baboons, it was popularized in the comedy TV series Not the Nine O'Clock News.
Every English word from Frankish *hlanku
Today it means
noun An external or internal rib or rim, used either to add strength or to hold something in place.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Frankish *hlanku / flange