skerry

Where does the word "skerry" come from? It comes from Old Norse sker, passing through Orkney Norn before entering English (1610s).

Skerry’s story begins in Old Norse: sker meant “sea rock.” A rock in the sea. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Orkney Norn as skerry. Survived in the Norse language of Orkney and Shetland. It reached English by 1610s as skerry. Used for the rocky islets of Scotland's coasts. Today, skerry means a small rocky island or reef.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · 800s-1000s sker "sea rock", a rock in the sea.
2. Stage 2 · Orkney Norn · medieval skerry "rocky islet", survived in the Norse language of Orkney and Shetland.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1610s skerry "rocky islet", used for the rocky islets of Scotland's coasts.