skēpą (Proto-Germanic)
Where does "skēpą" come from?
The Proto-Germanic noun 'skēpą', meaning 'sheep', has an unknown origin[1]. It may be a wanderword originating from West Asia, with possible connections to terms such as Persian 'čapeš' meaning 'yearling goat' and Proto-Turkic '*čepiš'[1]. Alternatively, it may derive from an old European substrate, or share a root with the verb '*skabaną' meaning 'to scratch, scrape, shave, shear'[1]. Scholars have also proposed a relation to the Proto-Indo-European root '*(s)ḱégos' meaning 'goat, sheep', which is supported by Indo-Iranian cognates like Sanskrit 'chagala'[1].
Open questions
- The exact origin of the Proto-Germanic noun is unknown, with competing hypotheses suggesting a West Asian wanderword, an old European substrate, a derivation related to shearing, or a connection to a Proto-Indo-European root. [1]
Full etymology tree
- *skēpą (Proto-Germanic), 'sheep'
- derived *skabaną (Proto-Germanic), 'to shave, to scrape'
- derived *(s)ḱégos (Proto-Indo-European)
Cognates and doublets
- hecen (Old English)
- цӕу (Ossetian)
- *hōkīn (Proto-West Germanic)
- छगल (Sanskrit)
Sources
Updated August 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris