Streak
/striːk/noun
A long, narrow line or mark; also, a run of consecutive successes or failures.
Did you know?The word comes from an old Germanic root meaning “to stretch” or “draw tight,” which is why English also has related words like “stretch” and “strike” hidden in the same ancient family.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*strēg-
“to draw tight, stretch”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*straikōną
“to draw a line; to stretch”
Old English
OE
strēac
“a streak, stripe, or line”
Middle English
ME
streke
“a line, stroke, or band”
Modern English
English
streak
“a long, narrow mark or a run of consecutive events”