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tick³

(tĭk)

a. A cloth case for a mattress or pillow.

b. A light mattress without inner springs.

2. Ticking.

[Middle English tikke, probably from Middle Dutch tīke, ultimately from Latin thēca, receptacle, from Greek thēkē; see dhē- 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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