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Where does the word "knife" come from? It comes from Old Norse knifr, and was adopted directly into English (1000s).
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Where does the word "knife" come from? It comes from Old Norse knifr, and was adopted directly into English (1000s).
Knife’s story begins in Old Norse: knifr meant “a small blade.” A small bladed cutting tool. It reached English by 1000s as knife. Settled as the standard English word for a bladed cutting tool. Today, knife means a bladed instrument used for cutting.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval knifr "a small blade", a small bladed cutting tool.
- Stage 2 · English · 1000s knife "a bladed cutting tool", settled as the standard English word for a bladed cutting tool.