sek-

To cut.

Derivatives include scythe, Saxon, skin, insect, and sickle.

1. scythe, from Old English sīthe, sigthe, sickle, from Germanic *segithō, sickle.

2. Suffixed o-grade form *sok-ā-. saw¹; hacksaw, from Old English sagu, sage, saw, from Germanic *sagō, a cutting tool, saw.

3. Suffixed o-grade form *sok-yo-. sedge, from Old English secg, sedge, from Germanic *sagjaz, “sword,” plant with a cutting edge.

4. Suffixed o-grade form *sok-so-.

a. zax, from Old English seax, knife, from Germanic *sahsam, knife, sword;

b. Saxon, from Late Latin Saxō (plural Saxonēs), a Saxon, from West Germanic tribal name *Saxon-, Saxon, traditionally (but doubtfully) regarded as from Germanic *sahsam (as if “warrior with knives”).

5. Extended root *skend-, to peel off, flay. skin, from Old Norse skinn, skin, from Germanic *skinth-.

6. Basic form *sek-.

a. secant, -sect, sectile, section, sector, segment; dissect, insect, intersect, resect, transect, from Latin secāre, to cut;

b. seecatch, from Russian sech', to cut.

7. Lengthened-grade form *sēk-. sickle, from Latin sēcula, sickle.

8. Possible suffixed variant form *sak-so-. sassafras, saxatile; saxicolous, saxifrage, from Latin saxum, stone (< “broken-off piece”?).

 

[Pokorny 2. sē̆k- 895, sken-(d-) 929.] See also extended roots skei-, sker-¹.

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