Etymograph

English

cancellus

Cancellus comes from Latin cancellus ‘little crab’, from Proto-Italic *kankros ‘enclosure, fence’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to turn, bend’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ker-1‘to turn, bend’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kr-kr-1‘circular’reconstructedreduplication of *(s)ker-
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*karkros1‘enclosure’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kankros1‘enclosure, fence’reconstructeddissimilation of *karkros
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcancer2‘crab’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcancellus3‘little crab’
  7. Englishtodaycancellus3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin cancer
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin cancellus
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English cancellus

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ker-Wiktionary, Latin cancer‘to turn, bend’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kr-kr-Wiktionary, Latin cancer‘circular’reconstructedreduplication of *(s)ker-
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*karkrosWiktionary, Latin cancer‘enclosure’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kankrosWiktionary, Latin cancer‘enclosure, fence’reconstructeddissimilation of *karkros
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcancerWiktionary, Latin cancellus‘crab’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcancellusWiktionary, English cancellus‘little crab’
  7. EnglishtodaycancellusWiktionary, English cancellus

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to turn, bend’

short, across, share, cross, screen, score, card, shirt, circle, circuit, crucial, curve, circulation, skirt, scare, circus, curb, scrutiny, shrine, carnival, crest, scar, corona, shear, circa, scorpion, shred, raffle, circulate, scorn, carnage, shrewd, crux, carcinoma, incarceration, shard, corolla, cirque, circulatory, crepe, 114 more

through Latin cancer ‘crab’

cancerous, canker, chancellery, 6 more

through Latin cancellus ‘little crab’

chancel, 3 more

Today it means

noun A barrier, balustrade or railing, or screen, dividing the main body of a church from the chancel.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “cancellus”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin cancer, Latin cancellus. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- / cancellus

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