ink

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἔγκαυστον“burned-in”
2. Latin · derived fromencaustum“purple ink used by Roman emperors to sign documents”
3. Old French · derived fromenque
4. Middle English · inherited fromynke
5. English todayink

From Middle English ynke, from Old French enque, from Latin encaustum (“purple ink used by Roman emperors to sign documents”), from Ancient Greek ἔγκαυστον (énkauston, “burned-in”), from ἐν (en, “in”) + καίω (kaíō, “burn”). In this sense, displaced native Old English blæc (“ink”, literally “black”). Sense four refers to the ink used in newspapers.