Etymograph

English

schorl

Schorl comes from German Schörl, from Swedish skör ‘brittle’, and perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to cut’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ker-1‘to cut’uncertain
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skeraną2‘to cut’uncertain
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skuriz2uncertain
  4. Low Germanmodernschör2‘weak, fragile’uncertain
  5. Old Swedishmodernskør2uncertain
  6. Swedishmodernskör3‘brittle’uncertain
  7. Germanc. 1650–presentSchörl3
  8. Englishtodayschorl3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Proto-Germanic *skeraną, which cites Kroonen
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Swedish skör
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English schorl

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ker-Wiktionary, Proto-Germanic *skeraną, which cites Kroonen‘to cut’uncertain
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skeranąWiktionary, Swedish skör‘to cut’uncertain
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skurizWiktionary, Swedish sköruncertain
  4. Low GermanmodernschörWiktionary, Swedish skör‘weak, fragile’uncertain
  5. Old SwedishmodernskørWiktionary, Swedish sköruncertain
  6. SwedishmodernskörWiktionary, English schorl‘brittle’uncertain
  7. Germanc. 1650–presentSchörlWiktionary, English schorl
  8. EnglishtodayschorlWiktionary, English schorl

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to cut’

across, share, card, cross, cancer, short, shirt, screen, circle, circuit, score, crucial, curve, circus, circulation, skirt, carnival, scare, curb, cancellation, shrine, crest, circa, scrutiny, scar, incarceration, shred, carnage, coronary, raffle, corona, circulate, carcinoma, shrewd, crux, shard, carnal, scorpion, cirque, corolla, 115 more

through Proto-Germanic *skeraną ‘to cut’

scarf, shear, scorn, 3 more

Today it means

noun The most common variety of tourmaline.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “schorl”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Proto-Germanic *skeraną, Swedish skör. 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- / schorl

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