English
hack
Hack comes from Old English *haccian ‘to hack’, from Proto-Germanic *hakkōną ‘to chop’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keg-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*keg-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hakkōną‘to chop’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hakkōn‘to hack, chop’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*haccian‘to hack’reconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hacken
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1602hack
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*keg-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hakkōną‘to chop’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hakkōn‘to hack, chop’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*haccian‘to hack’reconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hacken
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1602hack
Earliest quotation: c. 1602, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida: “Look you what hacks are on his helmet !”
The story
The computer senses date back to at least 1955 when it initially referred to creative problem solving. By 1963, the negative connotations of “black hat” or malicious hacking had become associated with telephone hacking (cf. phreaking).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *keg-
through Proto-Germanic *hakkōną ‘to chop’
through Proto-West Germanic *hakkōn ‘to hack, chop’
through Old English *haccian ‘to hack’
Today it means
verb To chop or cut down in a rough manner.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *keg- / hack