English
shrift
Shrift comes from Middle English shrift ‘confession to a priest’, from Old English sċrift ‘penance, shrift’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- ‘to scratch, tear’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kreybʰ-‘to scratch, tear’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEscrībō‘to write’
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skrībaną‘to write’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sċrīfan‘of a priest: to prescribe absolution or penance’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150sċrift‘penance, shrift’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500shrift‘confession to a priest’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1595same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kreybʰ-‘to scratch, tear’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEscrībō‘to write’
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skrībaną‘to write’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sċrīfan‘of a priest: to prescribe absolution or penance’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150sċrift‘penance, shrift’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500shrift‘confession to a priest’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1595same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1591–1595, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet: “[Friar:] Be plain, good son, and homely in thy…”
Formed from shrive + -t
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- ‘to scratch, to tear’
…
Proto-Germanic *skrībaną ‘to write’
Proto-West Germanic *skrīban ‘to write’
Old English sċrīfan ‘1. to decree, pass judgement, prescribe’
Middle English schryven ‘to administer absolution or penance for a…’
English shrive
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- ‘to scratch, tear’
through Latin scrībō ‘to write’
description, script, prescribe, scribe, scribble, scrivener, 38 more
through Old English sċrīfan ‘of a priest: to prescribe absolution or penance’
Today it means
noun The act of going to or hearing a religious confession.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- / shrift