Etymograph

English

sconce

Sconce comes from Proto-Indo-European *deh₃- ‘to give’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₃-1‘to give’root named by Wiktionary · steps between not traced
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sconce1
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1644sconce1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English sconce
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1644, [Diary entry for 23 November 1644]: “[…]tapers put into lanterns or sconces of several-coloured, oiled…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₃-Wiktionary, English sconce‘to give’root named by Wiktionary · steps between not traced
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sconceWiktionary, English sconce
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1644sconceWiktionary, English sconce. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1644, [Diary entry for 23 November 1644]: “[…]tapers put into lanterns or sconces of several-coloured, oiled…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *deh₃- ‘to give’

data, date, add, die, addition, rent, delicious, tradition, dose, surrender, donate, vent, vendor, donation, render, donor, dow, treason, additive, rendezvous, rendition, antidote, anecdote, dowry, addendum, dowager, condone, dative, endow, dower, perdition, dacha, dati, 39 more

Another origin of sconce

  1. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500schans
  2. Englishtodaysconce

Today it means

noun A fixture for a light, which holds it and provides a screen against wind or against a naked flame or lightbulb.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “sconce”. 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 *deh₃- / sconce

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