Etymology

knap

K5N1A1P3

Today it means: To break (something) into small pieces with a cracking sound; to fragment, to smash; also, to break (something) apart sharply; to snap. Full definition →

Middle English knappen ← Middle Dutch knappen
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knap · verb, noun1

  1. Middle English · inherited fromknap
  2. Middle Dutch · derived fromknappen
  3. Middle English · inherited fromknappen“to strike (something)”
  4. English todayknap

The verb is derived from Late Middle English knappen (“to strike (something)”); further etymology uncertain, probably related to Middle Dutch knappen, cnappen (“to break (something) with a sharp sound, snap; to crack or crackle”) (modern Dutch knappen), probably ultimately onomatopoeic. The noun is derived from Late Middle English knap, knappe (“sharp blow, strike”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from the verb (see above), or related to an ancestor of Danish knep and Swedish knäpp (“a flick, rap, snap”), probably ultimately onomatopoeic.

knap · noun2

  1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*knappô
  2. Old Norse · derived fromknappr“small projection, knob (button, head of a stick, etc.)”
  3. Old English · inherited fromcnæp
  4. Middle English · inherited fromknap
  5. English todayknap

From Middle English knap, knappe (“small projection, knob (button, tassel, tuft, etc.); hill; hilltop; etc.”), from Old English cnæp, cnæpp (“summit, top”); further etymology uncertain, possibly related to Old Norse knappr (“small projection, knob (button, head of a stick, etc.)”) (whence English knop), from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knuppô.

knap · verb3

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gnebʰ-“to constrict, tighten; to press”
  2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*knappijaną“to clamp; to squeeze”
  3. Old Norse · derived fromkneppa“to pinch, press, squeeze; to button, clasp; to hug”
  4. Middle English · inherited from*kneppen
  5. English todayknap

Origin uncertain; possibly: * from Middle English *kneppen (compare Middle English knippette (“pincers for cracking nuts”)), from Old Norse kneppa (“to pinch, press, squeeze; to button, clasp; to hug”), from Proto-Germanic *knappijaną (“to clamp; to squeeze”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnebʰ- (“to constrict, tighten; to press”); * related to knap (etymology 1); or * imitative of a mouth snapping shut; compare gnap (“to snap at”) (obsolete except Scotland), nab (“to bite gently, nibble”) (obsolete except Southern and Western England).

knap · verb4

See nap (etymology 5).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.