English
sledge
Sledge comes from Middle English slegge ‘sledgehammer’, and goes back to Proto-Germanic *slagjǭ.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*slagjǭreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sleċġ‘sledgehammer’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500slegge‘sledgehammer’
- Englishearliest quotation 1737sledge
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*slagjǭreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sleċġ‘sledgehammer’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500slegge‘sledgehammer’
- Englishearliest quotation 1737sledge
Earliest quotation: 1737, J. Ray, A Collection of English Words Not Generally Used: “[based on information from Major Hill, Master of the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *slak- ‘to hit, strike’
slaughter, sly, slay, slug, slag, slew, sleight, slyly, 4 more
Another origin of sledge
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sleydʰ-root as named · steps between not traced
- Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500sleedse
- Dutchc. 1500–presentsame form
- Englishtodaysledge
Today it means
noun A sledgehammer.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *slagjǭ / sledge