Etymograph

English

gerbe

Gerbe comes from French gerbe ‘sheaf’, and goes back to Frankish *garbā.

  1. Frankishc. 250–700*garbā‘sheaf’reconstructed
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400jarbe
  3. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600gerbe
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘sheaf’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1835same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Frankishc. 250–700*garbā‘sheaf’reconstructed
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400jarbe
  3. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600gerbe
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘sheaf’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1835same form

Earliest quotation: 1835, Frederick Bruhl: “on the top of the post fix a gerbe;…”

The story

Late 16th century, borrowed from French gerbe (‘sheaf’).

Every English word from Frankish *garbā

Today it means

noun A (wheat) sheaf.

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

Etymograph / Frankish *garbā / gerbe

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