Etymology

shelfback

S1H4E1L1F4B3A1C3K5

Today it means: The vertical surface forming the back of a shelf. Full definition →

English back ← Middle English bak ← Old English bæc
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kelH-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kel(H)-p-
  3. Proto-Germanic*skelfō
  4. Proto-West Germanic*skelfu:
  5. Proto-West Germanic*skilfijā
  6. Old Englishsċylfe?
  7. Middle Englishschelfe
  8. Englishshelf
  9. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeg-der.?
  10. Proto-Germanic*baką
  11. Proto-West Germanic*bak
  12. Old Englishbæc
  13. Middle Englishbak
  14. Englishback
  15. English todayshelfback

From shelf + back.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.