n. (pl.)
'flakes, lumps'
(Modern English flakes)The possibility that ME flake represents a loan from ON is often raised with varying degrees of scepticism (cp. Bj. with GollCl, McGee 931, Menner and Anderson; MED cites both possibilities). There is no clear single obvious source for ME flake, but its relatively late attestation and a number of plausible Scandinavian comparanda, cp. e.g. OIcel v. flakna, flagna ‘to flake or chip off’, Norw flak 'slice, detatched piece', may point towards an ON origin. An unattested native etymon cannot be ruled out, cp. OE (poetic) flac-or ‘flying (of arrows)’ (on potential broader connections see OED), and all suggestions remain speculative. See also flaunkes (n.).
PGmc Ancestor
*flak-
Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)
cp. flagna (v.) ‘to flake or chip off’
(ONP cp. flagna (vb.))
Other Scandinavian Reflexes
Norw flak 'slice, detatched piece'; cp. Icel flagna, Norw flagna, Sw flagna
OE Cognate
*flæc, cp. flacor ‘flying (of arrows)’
Phonological and morphological markers
Summary category
DD1
Widely, if not commonly, attested in ME from a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw. (Cmb Gg.1.1) onwards.
Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus
Cl 954