Shank
/ʃæŋk/noun
The leg or lower part of the leg; the long narrow part of something, especially a tool or key.
Did you know?Shank is an old Germanic word, and its deep relatives show up in words for the leg and lower limb across the family tree, not in any magical sense but as a stark reminder that everyday body-parts often preserve the oldest vocabulary.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰengʰ-
“to bend, curve”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skankaz
“leg, shank”
Old English
OE
sceanca
“leg, shank”
Middle English
ME
shank
“the leg or lower part of the leg”
Modern English
English
shank
“the lower part of the leg; the narrow part of a tool, key, or other object”