English
jack
Jack comes from the personal name Jack, from Middle English Jakke, from Middle Dutch Janke, a diminutive of Jan ‘John’.
- Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500Jan‘John’
- Middle Dutch, derivedc. 1150–1500Janke
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400Jakke
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- English1500–presentJack
- Englishearliest quotation 1591jack
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500Jan‘John’
- Middle Dutch, derivedc. 1150–1500Janke
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400Jakke
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- English1500–presentJack
- Englishearliest quotation 1591jack
Earliest quotation: 1591, John Harington, Robert Nares: “Their horsemen are with jacks for most part clad,…”
Every English word from Middle Dutch Jan
Another origin of jack
- Malayalammodernചക്കcakka‘jackfruit’
- Portuguesec. 1500–presentjaca‘jackfruit’
- Englishtodayjack
Today it means
noun A coarse medieval coat of defence, especially one made of leather.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle Dutch Jan / jack