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Where does the word "deck" come from? It comes from Middle Dutch dec, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "deck" come from? It comes from Middle Dutch dec, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).
Deck’s story begins in Middle Dutch: dec meant “a covering.” Meaning "a covering" or "roof". It reached English by 1500s as deck. Dutch shipbuilding influence gave English many sea terms. Today, deck means a flat surface, especially on a ship, or an outdoor platform attached to a house.
- Stage 1 · Middle Dutch · medieval dec "a covering", meaning "a covering" or "roof".
- Stage 2 · English · 1500s deck "a ship's floor or platform", Dutch shipbuilding influence gave English many sea terms.