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flake²

(flāk)

1. A frame or platform for drying fish or produce.

2. A platform lowered over the side of a ship as a scaffold for performing maintenance or repairs.

[Middle English fleke, from Old Norse fleki, hurdle, shield used for defense in battle; see plāk-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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