Sap Definition

Origin of Sap

• From Old English sæp, from Proto-Germanic *sapōn (cf. East Frisian/Dutch sap, German Saft, Icelandic safi), from Proto-Indo-European *sab-, Proto-Indo-European *sap- (cf. Welsh sybwydd 'fir', Latin sapa (“must, new wine"), Russian сопли (sópli, “snivel"), Armenian Õ°Õ¡Õ´ (ham, “juice, taste"), Avestan višāpa 'having poisonous juices'[script?], Sanskrit sabar 'juice, nectar'[Devanagari?]), from *sap 'to taste'. More at sage.

  From Wiktionary

• French sape from saper to sap, undermine from Italian zappare to dig with a mattock or hoe, sap from zappa mattock, hoe from Old Italian from Late Latin sappa of unknown origin

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• From French saper (compare Spanish zapar and Italian zappare) from sape (“sort of scythe"), from Late Latin sappa (“sort of mattock").

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English from Old English sæp V., sense 2, probably partly from sap (taken as “to weaken (resistance) as by draining of sap.”)

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Probably short for sapling since the bludgeons were made from wood from saplings

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Probably from sapling.

  From Wiktionary