Etymology

dash

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Today it means: Any of the following symbols: ‒ (figure dash), – (en dash), — (em dash), or ― (horizontal bar). Full definition →

Middle English daschen ← Danish daske
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dash · noun, verb, interjection1

  1. Danish · derived fromdaske“to slap, strike”
  2. Middle English · inherited fromdaschen
  3. English todaydash

From Middle English daschen, dassen, from Danish daske (“to slap, strike”), related to Swedish daska (“to smack, slap, spank”), of obscure origin. Compare German tatschen (“to grope, paw”), Old English dwǣsċan (“to quell, put out, destroy, extinguish”). See also dush.

Dash · proper noun2

  1. Old English · inherited fromæsċ
  2. Old French · derived fromde
  3. English todayDash

From Old French de + Old English æsċ "(residing) near an ash tree".

Words from the same roots

Old Frenchde all →

DisneyDelanoDe La WarrDowthwaite

Old Englishæsċ all →

ashAshlandAshcroftAshbyAshworthAshmoreAshdownAshburyAshbourneashwoodAshurstAxfordæscAshcottAshdonAshtree

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.