Knife
/naɪf/noun
A cutting instrument with a sharp blade and a handle.
Did you know?*Knife* belongs to the same ancient word-family as *nephew* and *nave* through a deep Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to cut,” showing how everyday English preserves prehistoric survival language.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁nep-
“To cut or carve”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*knībaz
“Knife, cutting tool”
Old English
English
cnīf
“Knife”
Middle English
English
knyf
“Knife”
Modern English
English
knife
“A cutting instrument with a blade”