English

lockwork

From lock + work.

A compound of lock + work

Proto-Indo-European *lewg- ‘to bend’

Proto-Germanic *luką

Proto-West Germanic *lok ‘shutter’

Old English loc

Middle English lok

English lock

Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- ‘to make’

…

Proto-Germanic *werką

Proto-West Germanic *werk

Old English weorc ‘labor’

Middle English work

English work

Today it means

noun The assembly forming the firing mechanism of a gun.

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

Etymograph / lockwork