English

junk ring

From junk + ring, first use appears c.

A compound of junk + ring

Proto-Italic *joinikos

Latin iuncus ‘rush, reed’

Old French jonc

Middle French jonc ‘rush’

Middle English jonk ‘a rush’

English junk

Proto-Indo-European *(s)krengʰ-

Proto-Germanic *hringaz

Proto-West Germanic *hring

Old English hring ‘ring’

Middle English ryng

English ring

Today it means

noun A wide ring which fits in a groove around the piston of an internal combustion engine to keep it steamtight by retaining the packing in place.

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

Etymograph / junk ring