English
grecque
Grecque comes from French grec ‘Greek’, and goes back to Ancient Greek Ἕλλην ‘Hellenes’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἝλληνas Ἕλληνες‘Hellenes’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΓραικός‘Greek’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgraecusnext step skipped: Old French gri(e)u
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600grec‘Ancient Greek language’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘Greek’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentgrecquefeminine of grec
- Englishearliest quotation 1861same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἝλληνas Ἕλληνες‘Hellenes’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΓραικός‘Greek’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgraecusnext step skipped: Old French gri(e)u
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600grec‘Ancient Greek language’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘Greek’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentgrecquefeminine of grec
- Englishearliest quotation 1861same form
Earliest quotation: 1861, The What-not; or Ladies' Handy-book: “The sleeves are wide; the revers, or deep cuffs,…”
Linked words
through Latin graecus
Today it means
noun An ornament of Greek origin, or Greek-style, especially a fretwork
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek Ἕλλην / grecque