English
soak
Soak comes from Old English socian ‘to soak, steep’, from Proto-Germanic *sūkaną ‘to suck’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *su-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*su-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sug-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sūkaną‘to suck’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sukōną‘to soak’reconstructedcausative of *sūkaną
- Old Englishc. 450–1150socian‘to soak, steep’literally ‘to cause to suck (up)’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500soken
- Englishearliest quotation 1611soak
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*su-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sug-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sūkaną‘to suck’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sukōną‘to soak’reconstructedcausative of *sūkaną
- Old Englishc. 450–1150socian‘to soak, steep’literally ‘to cause to suck (up)’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500soken
- Englishearliest quotation 1611soak
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “Their land shall be soaked with blood.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sug-
through Proto-Germanic *sūkaną ‘to suck’
Today it means
verb To be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *su- / soak