English
streak
Streak comes from Proto-Germanic *strikiz ‘line’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *streyg-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*streyg-‘line’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*strikiz‘line’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150strica
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500streke
- Englishearliest quotation 1851streak
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*streyg-‘line’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*strikiz‘line’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150strica
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500streke
- Englishearliest quotation 1851streak
Earliest quotation: 1851, Herman Melville, The Whale: “Though his entire back down to his side fins…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *streyg- ‘line’
strike, stroke, distress, stricken, restraint, stringent, stricture, 7 more
Today it means
noun An irregular line, as is left from smearing or motion.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *streyg- / streak