Carve
/kɑːrv/noun
To cut or shape something with a sharp tool.
Did you know?English *carve* comes from a Germanic root meaning “to cut,” and its old relatives show up in words for breaking, slicing, and even writing—because marks were once made by cutting, not pens.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*kerbaną
“to cut, carve, or slice”
Old English
OE
ceorfan
“to cut, carve, or hew”
Middle English
ME
carven
“to cut or shape by cutting”
15th Century
English
carven
“past participle form used in literary and regional usage”
Modern English
English
carve
“to cut or shape with a knife, chisel, or similar tool”