target

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*derǵʰ-“fenced lot”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*targǭ“edge”
3. Frankish · derived from*targa“buckler”
4. Middle French · derived fromtargette
5. English todaytarget

From Middle French targette, targuete, diminutive of targe (“light shield”), from Old French, from Frankish *targa (“buckler”), akin to Old Norse targa (“small round shield”) (whence also Old English targe, targa (“shield”)) from Proto-Germanic *targǭ (“edge”), from Proto-Indo-European *derǵʰ- (“fenced lot”). Akin to Old High German zarga (“side wall, rim”) (German Zarge (“frame”)), Spanish tarjeta (“card”).

Words from the same roots