Online Etymology Dictionary

shed (v.): "cast off," Old English sceadan, scadan "to divide, separate," strong verb (past tense scead, past participle sceadan), from Proto-Germanic *skaithanan (cf. Old Saxon skethan, Old Frisian sketha, Middle Dutch sceiden, Dutch scheiden, Old High German sceidan, German scheiden, Gothic skaidan), from *skaith "divide, split."

This is probably related to PIE root *skei- "to cut, separate, divide, part, split" (cf. Sanskrit chid-, Greek skhizein, Latin scindere "to split;" Lithuanian skedzu "I make thin, separate, divide;" Old Irish scian "knife;" Welsh chwydu "to break open"). In reference to animals, "to lose hair, feathers, etc." recorded from c.1500.
sheela-na-gig (n.): 1846, from Irish Sile na gcioch, literally "Sheila of the breasts." According to modern folklorists, not a Celtic survival, but originating rather in the Romanesque churches of France and northern Spain. Their theories that it is meant to degrade the female body and discourage sexuality, or that it is meant as an apotropaic gesture to ward off the devil, are not entirely convincing.
sheen (n.): 1602 (first attested in "Hamlet" iii.2), noun use of adjective sheene "beautiful, bright," from Old English scene, from Proto-Germanic *skauniz (cf. Old High German skoni, German schön, Old Frisian skene, Middle Dutch scone, Dutch schoon, Gothic skaunja "beautiful"), from PIE root *skeue- "to pay attention, perceive" (see caveat).
sheeney (n.): vulgar term of abuse, "a Jew," 1816, of unknown origin; perhaps related to Russian zhid, Polish żyd, Czech zid "a Jew." Used before c.1870 by Jews and Gentiles without intent of insult.
sheep (n.): Old English sceap, scep, from West Germanic *skæpan (cf. Old Saxon scap, Old Frisian skep, Middle Low German schap, Middle Dutch scaep, Dutch schaap, Old High German scaf, German Schaf), of unknown origin. Not found in Scandinavian or Gothic, and with no known cognates outside Germanic. The more usual Indo-European word for the animal is represented by ewe.

As a type of timidity, from Old English; the meaning "stupid, timid person" is attested from 1540s. The image of the wolf in sheep's clothing was in Old English (from Matt. vii:15); that of separating the sheep from the goats is from Matt. xxv:33. To count sheep in a bid to induce sleep is recorded from 1854. Sheep's eyes "loving looks" is attested from 1520s (cf. West Frisian skiepseach, Dutch schaapsoog, German Schafsauge).
sheepish (adj.): c.1200, "resembling a sheep in some characteristic," from sheep. The sense of "bashful" first is recorded 1690s. Related: Sheepishly; sheepishness.
sheepshank (n.): 1670s, "leg of a sheep," from sheep + shank (n.). Attested earlier in transferred sense of "type of sailor's knot used to shorten a rope without cutting it" (1620s).
sheepskin (n.): c.1200, "the skin of a sheep," from sheep + skin (n.). Meaning "diploma" dates from 1804; so called because formerly made of sheepskin parchment.
sheer (adj.): c.1200, "exempt, free from guilt," later schiere "thin, sparse" (c.1400), from Old English scir "bright, clear," influenced by Old Norse cognate scær "bright, clean, pure," from Proto-Germanic *skairijaz (cf. Old Saxon skiri, Old Frisian skire, German schier, Gothic skeirs "clean, pure"), perhaps from PIE root *skai- "to shine" (see shine). Sense of "absolute, utter" (sheer nonsense) developed 1580s; that of "very steep" (sheer cliff) is first recorded 1800.
sheet (n.1): Old English sciete (West Saxon), scete (Mercian) "cloth, covering," from Proto-Germanic *skautijon, from base *skauta- "project" (cf. Old Norse skaut "corner of cloth," Gothic skauts "seam, hem of a garment;" Dutch schoot German Schoß "bosom, lap"), from PIE root *skeud- "to shoot, chase, throw" (see shoot (v.)).

Sense of "piece of paper" first recorded c.1500; that of "any broad, flat surface" (of metal, open water, etc.) is from 1590s. Of falling rain from 1690s. Meaning "a newspaper" is first recorded 1749. Sheet lightning is attested from 1794; sheet music is from 1857. Between the sheets "in bed" (usually with sexual overtones) is attested from 1590s; to be white as a sheet is from 1751.
sheet (n.2): "rope that controls a sail," Old English sceatline "sheet-line," from sceata "lower part of sail," originally "piece of cloth," from same root as sheet (n.1). The sense transferred to the rope by late 13c. This probably is the notion in phrase three sheets to the wind "drunk and disorganized," first recorded 1821 (in form three sheets in the wind), an image of a sloop-rigged sailboat whose three sheets have slipped through the blocks are lost to the wind, thus out of control. Apparently there was an early 19c. sailors' drunkenness scale involving one, two, and three sheets, three signifying the highest degree of inebriation; there is a two sheets in the wind attested from 1815.
Sheetrock (n.): 1921, proprietary name (claiming use from 1917) of a type of plaster wall-board, U.S. Gypsum Co., Chicago, Ill.; from sheet (n.1) + rock (n.).
Sheffield: manufacturing city in Yorkshire, noted for cutlery and metalwork since at least 14c. The name is from late Old English Scafeld "Open Land by the River Sheaf," an Old English river name, from sceath "boundary."
sheik (n.): "head of an Arab family," also "head of a Muslim religious order," 1570s, from Arabic shaykh "chief," literally "old man," from base of shakha "to grow old." Popularized by "The Sheik," novel in Arabian setting by E.M. Hull (1919), and movie version "The Sheikh," 1921, starring Rudolph Valentino, which gave it a 1920s sense of "strong, romantic lover."
Sheila: fem. proper name, Irish equivalent of Celia, shortened form of Cecilia (see Cecil). A standard type of an Irish women's name since 1828; slang for "girlfriend, young woman" dates from 1839.
shekel (n.): early 13c., sicle, via Old French and Latin, from Hebrew sheqel, from shaqal "he weighed." Chief silver coin of ancient Hebrews, also a unit of weight. Modern form in English dates from mid-16c. As slang for "money," it dates from 1871.
sheldrake (n.): early 14c., from sheld- "variegated" + drake "male duck." First element cognate with Middle Dutch schillede, West Flemish schilde, from schillen (Dutch verschillen "to make different"), from Proto-Germanic *skeli-, from PIE root *(s)kel- "to cut." This is considered the most likely origin, though English sheld by itself is a dialect word attested only from c.1500.
shelf (n.): late 14c., from Middle Low German schelf "shelf, set of shelves," or from Old English cognate scylfe "shelf, ledge, floor," and scylf "peak, pinnacle," from Proto-Germanic *skelf-, *skalf- "split," possibly from the notion of a split piece of wood (cf. Old Norse skjölf "bench"), from PIE root *(s)kel- "to cut, cleave" (see sculpture). Shelf life first recorded 1927. Phrase on the shelf "out of the way, inactive" is attested from 1570s.
shell (n.): Old English sciell, scill, Anglian scell "seashell, eggshell," related to Old English scealu "shell, husk," from Proto-Germanic *skaljo "divide, separate" (cf. West Frisian skyl "peel, rind," Middle Low German schelle "pod, rind, egg shell," Gothic skalja "tile"), with the notion of "covering that splits off," from PIE root *(s)kel- "to cut, cleave" (see scale (n.1)).

Sense of "mere exterior" is from 1650s; that of "hollow framework" is from 1791. Meaning "structure for a band or orchestra" is attested from 1938. Military use (1640s) was first of hand grenades, in reference to the metal case in which the gunpowder and shot were mixed; shell shock first recorded 1915. Shell game "a swindle" is from 1890, from a version of three-card monte played with a pea and walnut shells.
shell (v.): 1560s, "to remove (a nut, etc.) from a shell," from shell (n.). The meaning "to bombard with shells" is first attested 1856. To shell out "disburse" (1801) is a figurative use from the image of extracting nuts. Related: Shelled; shelling.
shellac (n.): 1713, from shell (n.) + lac (see lacquer). Translates French laque en écailles "lac in thin plates." The verb is 1876, from the noun. The slang sense of "beat soundly" is 1920s, perhaps from the notion of shellac as a "finish." Shellacked "drunk" is from 1922 (cf. plastered).
shellfish (n.): Old English scylfiscas (plural); see shell (n.) + fish (n.).
shelta (n.): secret language of Irish tinkers, 1876, of unknown origin. It mostly consists of Irish or Gaelic words, with inversion or arbitrary substitution of initial consonants.
shelter (n.): 1580s, "structure affording protection," possibly an alteration of Middle English sheltron, sheldtrume "roof or wall formed by locked shields," from Old English scyldtruma, from scield "shield" (see shield (n.)) + truma "troop," related to Old English trum "firm, strong" (see trim). The notion is of a compact body of men protected by interlocking shields. Figurative sense is recorded from 1580s; meaning "temporary lodging for homeless poor" is first recorded 1890 in Salvation Army jargon; sense of "temporary home for animals" is from 1971.
shelter (v.): 1580s, from shelter (n.); in the income investment sense, from 1955. Related: Sheltered; sheltering.
sheltered (adj.): "protected from the usual hardships of life," 1888, past participle adjective from shelter (v.).
Sheltie (n.): "small pony," 1650, "Shetland pony," from Shelty, abbreviation of Sheltand, metathesis of Shetland. Or the word may represent the Orkney pronunciation of Old Norse Hjalti "Shetlander."
shelve (v.): 1590s, "to overhang," back-formation from shelves, plural of shelf. Meaning "put on a shelf" first recorded 1650s; metaphoric sense of "lay aside, dismiss" is from 1812. Meaning "to slope gradually" (1610s) is from Middle English shelven "to slope," from shelfe "grassy slope," related to shelf. Related: Shelved; shelving.
Shema: from Hebrew šema "hear!," imperative of šama "to hear." First word of Deut. vi:4.
Shenandoah: originally a place name in Dutchess County, N.Y., from Oneida (Iroquoian) family name Skenondoah, derived from oskenon:to "deer." Later transferred to river and valley in Virginia.
shenanigan (n.): 1855, of uncertain origin. Earliest records of it are in San Francisco and Sacramento, California, U.S. Suggestions include Spanish chanada, a shortened form of charranada "trick, deceit;" or, less likely, German Schenigelei, peddler's argot for "work, craft," or the related German slang verb schinäglen. Another guess centers on Irish sionnach "fox."
shenanigans (n.): see shenanigan.
Sheol (n.): 1590s, from Hebrew, literally "the underworld, Hades," of unknown origin. Used in R.V. in place of Hell in many passages.
shepherd (n.): Old English sceaphierde, from sceap "sheep" + hierde "herder," from heord "a herd" (see herd). Cf. Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schaphirde, Middle High German schafhirte, German dialectal schafhirt. Shepherds customarily were buried with a tuft of wool in hand, to prove their occupation on Doomsday and be excused for often missing Sunday church. The metaphoric verbal sense of "watch over or guide" is first recorded 1820. Shepherd's pie is recorded from 1877.
Sheraton: severe style of late 18c. English furniture, 1883, from cabinetmaker Thomas Sheraton (1751-1806). The family name is from a place in Durham, late Old English Scurufatun (c.1040), probably "farmstead of a man called Skurfa" (an old Scandinavian personal name).
sherbet (n.): c.1600, zerbet, "drink made from diluted fruit juice and sugar," from Turkish serbet, from Persian sharbat, from Arabic sharba(t) "a drink," from shariba "he drank." Related to syrup.
sheriff (n.): late Old English scirgerefa "representative of royal authority in a shire," from scir (see shire) + gerefa "chief, official, reeve" (see reeve). In Anglo-Saxon England, the representative of royal authority in a shire. As an American county official, attested from 1662; sheriff's sale first recorded 1798.
Sherlock: masc. proper name, literally "fair-haired," from Old English scir "bright" + locc "lock of hair." Slang for "private detective, perceptive person" (the latter often ironic) is attested from 1903, from A.C. Doyle's fictional character Sherlock Holmes.
Sherman: type of U.S. medium tank used in World War II, 1942, named for U.S. Civil War Gen. William T. Sherman (1820-1891). The surname is from Old English scearra "shears" + mann "man;" hence "shearer of woolen garments."
Sherpa: 1847, from Tibetan, literally "dweller in an eastern country."
sherry (n.): kind of white wine, c.1600, mistaken singular from sherris (1530s), from Spanish vino de Xeres "wine from Xeres," modern Jerez (Roman urbs Caesaris), near the port of Cadiz, where the wine was made.
shet: 1837 representing U.S. colloquial pronunciation of shut.
Shetland: group of islands north of Scotland, from Old Norse Hjaltland; in reference to a type of pony, 1801; as a breed of sheep, 1794.
shewbread (n.): 1530, Tyndale's word (Exodus xxv:30), influenced by German schaubrot (in Luther), literally "show-bread," translating Latin panes propositiones, from Greek artai enopioi, from Hebrew lechem panim, the 12 loaves placed every Sabbath "before the Lord" on a table beside the altar of incense, from lechem "bread" + panim "face, presence." Old English translations used offring-hlafas.
Shia (n.): 1620s, a collective name for one of the two great Muslim sects (see Shiite). This is the proper use, but it commonly is used to mean "a Shiite." In Arabic, shi'ah is the name of the sect, shiya'iy is a member of the sect.
shiatsu (n.): 1967, from Japanese, literally "finger-pressure."
shibboleth (n.): late 14c., the Hebrew word shibboleth "flood, stream," also "ear of corn," in Judges xii:4-6. It was the password used by the Gileadites to distinguish their own men from fleeing Ephraimites, because Ephraimites could not pronounce the -sh- sound. Figurative sense of "watchword" is first recorded 1630s, and it evolved by 1862 to "outmoded slogan still adhered to." A similar test-word was cicera "chick pease," used by the Italians to identify the French (who could not pronounce it correctly) during the massacre called the Sicilian Vespers (1282).
shield (n.): Old English scield, scild, related to sciell (see shell), from Proto-Germanic *skeldus (cf. Old Norse skjöldr, Old Saxon skild, Middle Dutch scilt, Dutch schild, German Schild, Gothic skildus), from *skel- "divide, split, separate," from PIE root *(s)kel- "to cut." Perhaps the notion is of a flat piece of wood made by splitting a log. Shield volcano (1911) translates German Schildvulkan (1910).
shield (v.): Old English gescildan, from the root of shield (n.). Related: Shielded; shielding.
shift (v.): Old English sciftan "arrange, divide," related to sceadan "divide, separate" (see shed (v.)), from Proto-Germanic *skiftanan (cf. Old Norse skipta "to divide, change, separate," Old Frisian skifta "to decide, determine, test," Dutch schiften "to divide, turn," German schichten "to classify," Schicht "shift"). Sense of "change" appeared mid-13c.; that of "move, transfer" is late 14c.; that of "manage to get along" is first attested 1510s, in phrase shift for oneself, and yielded shiftless.