Sprocket
/ˈsprɒkɪt/noun
A toothed wheel or cog that engages with a chain, belt, or another mechanism.
Did you know?Early forms of the word were used for small projections or spikes, which is why its history feels so tactile: language first named the little teeth before it named the wheel.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
sproket
“a small projection or spur”
Late Middle English
English
sprocket
“a small projecting tooth or point”
16th–17th Century
English
sprocket
“a small wheel or cog with projecting teeth”
Modern English
English
sprocket
“a toothed wheel that engages a chain or similar device”