Stroke
/stroʊk/noun
A single hit or sweeping movement, or a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain.
Did you know?English stroke is ultimately tied to old Germanic words for striking and rubbing, which is why it can mean everything from a blow to the sweep of a pen to a medical catastrophe.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*strōk- / *strukaną
“to stroke, rub, or pass over”
Old English
OE
strāc / strīcan
“to go, strike, or move smoothly over”
Middle English
ME
stroke
“a blow, a sweeping motion, or a pass of the hand”
Modern English
English
stroke
“a hit, a sweeping movement, a mark made by writing, or a sudden interruption of blood flow”