English
skipper
Skipper comes from Middle Dutch scipper, from Proto-Germanic *skipārijaz ‘one who travels by ship’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *skey- ‘to split, to dissect’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*skey-‘to split, to dissect’root as named
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skipārijaz‘one who travels by ship’reconstructed
- Old Dutchc. 500–1150*skipārireconstructed
- Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500scipper
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500skippere
- Englishearliest quotation 1897skipper
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*skey-‘to split, to dissect’root as named
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skipārijaz‘one who travels by ship’reconstructed
- Old Dutchc. 500–1150*skipārireconstructed
- Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500scipper
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500skippere
- Englishearliest quotation 1897skipper
Earliest quotation: 1897, Winston Churchill: “The skipper Mr. Cooke had hired at Far Harbor…”
Formed from ship + -er
Proto-Germanic *skipą ‘ship’
Proto-West Germanic *skip
Old English sċip
Middle English chip
English ship
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *skey- ‘to split, to dissect’
nice, science, equipment, scientific, ship, shift, shed, conscious, kyle, shin, ski, squire, sheath, scuttle, prescient, chine, skeet, skiff, skein, shud, scullery, 44 more
Another origin of skipper
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500skippere
- Englishtodayskipper
Another origin of skipper
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*skōpāuncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEscōpauncertain
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CE*scōpāriumuncertain
- Proto-Brythonicc. 100 BCE–500 CE*skʉbọr‘barn’uncertain
- Old Welshc. 800–1150scipauruncertain
- Middle Welshc. 1150–1500yscubawruncertain
- Welshc. 1500–presentysgubor‘a barn’uncertain
- Englishtodayskipper
Today it means
noun The master of a ship.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *skey- / skipper