Sheaf
/ʃiːf/noun
A bundle of cut stalks of grain or similar plants tied together.
Did you know?In ancient agrarian societies, sheaves were often used in fertility rituals to ensure a bountiful harvest, symbolizing the cycle of life and death.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skaifō
“a bundle or heap, often of grain or similar plants.”
Old English
OE
sceaf
“a sheaf or bundle of grain.”
Old Norse
ON
skef
“a sheaf, typically of grain.”
Middle English
ME
sheef
“a bundle of harvested crops.”
Modern English
English
sheaf
“a collection of stalks tied together, especially in farming.”