shack

shack · noun, verb¹

1. Nahuatl · derived fromxacalli“adobe hut”
2. Spanish · derived fromjacal
3. English todayshack

Unknown. Some scholars derive this word from Mexican Spanish jacal, from Nahuatl xacalli (“adobe hut”). Alternatively, the word may instead come from ramshackle/ramshackly (e.g., old ramshackly house) or perhaps it may be a back-formation from shackly. Compare Tavringer Romani hak (“place, house”), Traveller Norwegian hak (“place”).

shack · noun, verb²

1. Scots · derived fromshag“refuse of barley or oats”
2. English todayshack

Obsolete variant of shake. Compare Scots shag (“refuse of barley or oats”).

shack · adjective³

From shagged or shagged out.

Words from the same roots