Etymograph

English

quack

Quack may come from Middle English *quacken.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*quackenuncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1869quack

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*quackenuncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1869quack

Earliest quotation: 1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago: “Twice a day she took them out to feed…”.

Every English word from Middle English *quacken

Another origin of quack

  1. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500quacsalven
  2. Dutchc. 1500–presentquacksalver
  3. English1500–presentquacksalver
  4. Englishtodayquack

Today it means

noun The vocalisation made by a duck.

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

Etymograph / Middle English *quacken / quack

Shirt and support for this word