scale

scale · noun, verb¹

1. Latin · derived fromscāla
2. Middle English · inherited fromscale
3. English todayscale

From Middle English scale, from Latin scāla, usually in plural scālae (“a flight of steps, stairs, staircase, ladder”), for *skand-slā, from scandō (“to climb”); see scan, ascend, descend, etc. Doublet of scala.

scale · noun, verb²

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*skalō
2. Old High German · derived fromskala
3. Old French · derived fromescale
4. Middle English · inherited fromscale
5. English todayscale

From Middle English scale, from Old French escale, from Frankish and/or Old High German skala, from Proto-Germanic *skalō. Cognate with Old English sċealu (“shell, husk”), whence the modern doublet shale. Further cognate with Dutch schaal, German Schale, French écale.

scale · noun³

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*skēlō
2. Old Norse · derived fromskál“bowl”
3. Northern Middle English · inherited fromscale
4. English todayscale

Inherited from Northern Middle English scale (non-Northern scole), from Old Norse skál (“bowl”) from Proto-Germanic *skēlō. Compare Danish skål (“bowl, cup”), Dutch schaal, German Schale, Old High German scāla, Old English scealu (“cup”).

Words from the same roots