English word origin

Etymology of gank

1980s, of uncertain origin; possibly imitative or a derivation from gangster.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

verb

To swindle. · To steal.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

1980s, of uncertain origin; possibly imitative or a derivation from gangster.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "onomatopoeic",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "title": "imitative"
      },
      "expansion": "imitative"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
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    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To swindle.",
        "To steal."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang",
        "transitive"
      ],
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  }
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

verb

To kill much weaker players in an online video game in such a way that they cannot defend themselves.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Blend of gan(g) + k(ill).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Blend componentgangen
Blend componentkillen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "blend",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gang",
        "3": "kill",
        "alt1": "gan(g)",
        "alt2": "k(ill)"
      },
      "expansion": "Blend of gan(g) + k(ill)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "gan(g)",
      "gang#English"
    ],
    [
      "k(ill)",
      "kill#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To kill much weaker players in an online video game in such a way that they cannot defend themselves."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Internet",
        "slang",
        "transitive"
      ],
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for gank →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Z2Fuaw