Etymology Map
Back to all words

Steak

3 stages from Old Norse to English.

Today it means a thick slice of high-quality meat, especially beef

Where does the word "steak" come from? It comes from Old Norse steik, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
steik
Old Norse · medieval
"meat roasted on a spit"
related to 'steikja', to roast on a spit, and ultimately to 'stick'
2
Stage 2 of 3
steike
Middle English · 1400s
"a thick slice of meat"
adopted in northern England for a thick slice of meat to be grilled
3
Stage 3 of 3
steak
English · 1500s
"a thick slice of beef"
the spelling followed 'break' and 'great', keeping the older 'ay' pronunciation
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Steak’s story begins in Old Norse: steik meant “meat roasted on a spit.” Related to 'steikja', to roast on a spit, and ultimately to 'stick'. By 1400s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as steike. Adopted in northern England for a thick slice of meat to be grilled. It reached English by 1500s as steak. The spelling followed 'break' and 'great', keeping the older 'ay' pronunciation. Today, steak means a thick slice of high-quality meat, especially beef.