Flake
/fleɪk/noun
A small, thin piece or layer that has broken off from a larger whole.
Did you know?The word is ancient Germanic, and its oldest relatives were used for things that split or peel off, not just snow — a reminder that everyday words often began as descriptions of physical fracture.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*flakōną
“to split, peel, or break apart”
Old English
OE
flæc
“a flake, fragment, or thin piece”
Middle English
ME
flake
“a small piece or layer that breaks off”
Modern English
English
flake
“a small thin piece of something; a tiny piece of snow or skin”