Etymology

clockwise

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Today it means: In a curve or twist corresponding to the movement of the hands of a clock. Full definition →

Proto-Germanic *wīsaz ← Proto-Indo-European *weyd-s-ós ← English clock
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The story

  1. Proto-Celtic*klokkosder.?
  2. Early Medieval Latinclocca
  3. Old Northern Frenchcloque
  4. Old Dutch*klokka
  5. Middle Dutchclocke
  6. Middle Englishclokke
  7. Englishclock
  8. Proto-Indo-European*weyd-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*wéydos
  10. Proto-Indo-European*weyd-s-ós
  11. Proto-Germanic*wīsaz
  12. English todayclockwise

From clock + -wise.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.