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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

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English

bank

/ˈbæŋk/
An institution where one can place and borrow money and take care of financial affairs.

    Etymology graph

    • inherited
    • borrowed
    • derived
    • parts
    • meaning component
    • sound component
    • related
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    Origin

    Etymology 1

    Inherited from Middle English banke, from Middle French banque, from Italian banca (“counter, moneychanger's bench or table”), from Lombardic bank (“bench, counter”), from Proto-West Germanic *banki, from Proto-Germanic *bankiz (“bench, counter”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg- (“to turn, curve, bend, bow”). Doublet of bench, banc, and banco.

    For the bench-bank relation, compare typologically Russian ла́вка (lávka), прила́вок (prilávok).

    Etymology 2

    From Middle English bank, banke, from Old English *banca (“bench”) (attested in Old English hōbanca (“couch”) and Old English banc (“bank, hillock, embankment”), from Proto-West Germanic *bankō, from Proto-Germanic *bankô. Akin to Old Norse bakki (“elevation, hill”), Norwegian bakke (“slope, hill”).

    Etymology 3

    From Middle English bank, banke, from Old French banc (“bench”), from Frankish *banki, from Proto-Germanic *bankiz (“bench”). Akin to Old English benċ (“bench”).

    Etymology 4

    Probably from French banc. Of Germanic origin, and akin to English bench.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • derivedMiddle Frenchbanque
      • borrowedItalianbanca
        • borrowedLombardicbank
          • inheritedProto-West Germanic*banki
            • inheritedProto-Germanic*bankiz “bench”
              • derivedProto-Indo-European*bʰeg- “back, buttocks; to vault, arch”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishbank
      • inheritedOld English*banca “bench”
      • inheritedOld Englishbanc “bank, hillock, embankment”
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*bankō
          • inheritedProto-Germanic*bankô
    • derivedFrenchbanc
      • derivedOld High Germanbanc
        • derivedFrankish*banki

    Related: English bench (doublet), English banco (doublet), English banc (doublet), Old English hōbanca, Old Norse bakki, Norwegian bakke, Old English benċ

    Meanings

    noun
    1. An institution where one can place and borrow money and take care of financial affairs.
    2. A branch office of such an institution.
    3. An underwriter or controller of a card game.
    4. A fund from deposits or contributions, to be used in transacting business; a joint stock or capital.
    5. The sum of money etc. which the dealer or banker has as a fund from which to draw stakes and pay losses.
    6. Money; profit.
    verb
    1. To deal with a bank or financial institution, or for an institution to provide financial services to a client.
    2. To put into a bank (financial institution).
    3. To store in a bank (storage).
    4. To conceal in the rectum for use in prison.
    5. To provide banking services to.

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: bank