Etymograph

English

sharp

Sharp comes from Old English sċearp, from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to cut’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ker-‘to cut’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kerbʰ-‘to cut’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skerpaną‘to scrape’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skarpaz‘sharp’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skarp‘sharp’reconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150sċearp‘sharp’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500scharp‘sharp’
  8. Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1595sharp

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ker-‘to cut’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kerbʰ-‘to cut’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skerpaną‘to scrape’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skarpaz‘sharp’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skarp‘sharp’reconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150sċearp‘sharp’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500scharp‘sharp’
  8. Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1595sharp

Earliest quotation: c. 1591–1595, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet: “Sharp misery had worn him to the bones.”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerb-

scrub, 5 more

Today it means

adj Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- / sharp

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