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Today it means

skateboard

a short board on wheels, ridden standing

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Where does the word "skateboard" come from? It comes from Dutch schaats, passing through English before entering English (1960s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "skateboard" come from? It comes from Dutch schaats, passing through English before entering English (1960s).

Skateboard’s story begins in Dutch: schaats meant “ice skate.” An ice skate. By 1660s, the word had taken hold in English as skate. The plural 'schaats' was taken as 'skates', giving a new singular. It reached English by 1960s as skateboard. Californian surfers fixed roller-skate wheels to boards for 'sidewalk surfing'. Today, skateboard means a short board on wheels, ridden standing.

  1. Stage 1 · Dutch · 1600s schaats "ice skate", an ice skate.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1660s skate "skate", the plural 'schaats' was taken as 'skates', giving a new singular.
  3. Stage 3 · American English · 1960s skateboard "skateboard", Californian surfers fixed roller-skate wheels to boards for 'sidewalk surfing'.

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