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Where does the word "freckle" come from? It comes from Old Norse freknur, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "freckle" come from? It comes from Old Norse freknur, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Freckle’s story begins in Old Norse: freknur meant “small skin spots.” Small spots on the skin, especially from sun exposure. It reached English by 1300s as freckle. Settled as the English word for the small pigmented skin spots. Today, freckle means a small brownish spot on the skin, often caused by sun exposure.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval freknur "small skin spots", small spots on the skin, especially from sun exposure.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s freckle "a small pigmented spot on the skin", settled as the English word for the small pigmented skin spots.