seek

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈsiːk/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like sick /ɪ/ vs /iː/ Sounds like cheek /tʃ/ vs /s/

Freq #2564

Meanings

1

verb
to try to find or get something

Many people come to the city to seek work.
2

verb
to try to achieve or obtain something

They are seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict.
3

verb
to ask someone for advice or help

You should seek advice from a doctor.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to try to find or get... look forsearch for

Word family

Forms a-seekingseekingseekssought

Derived forms aseekattention-seekingbeseekforeseekforseekmisseekoutseekreseekseek-no-furtherseekableseeksorrowunderseek

Related forms seeker

Appears in

Phrases (2)

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Proverbs (2)

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Simplified etymology

Seek is an Old English word ultimately derived from an Indo-European root also represented by Latin sagire, “perceive by scent.” Despite its related modern meaning, it is historically unconnected with search.

Etymology

From Middle English seken (also sechen, whence dialectal English seech), from Old English sēċan (compare beseech); from Proto-West Germanic *sōkijan, from Proto-Germanic *sōkijaną (“to seek”), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- (“to seek out”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian säike (“to seek”), West Frisian sykje (“to seek”), Dutch zoeken (“to seek”), Low German söken (“to seek”), German suchen (“to seek”), Danish søge (“to seek”), Swedish söka, Norwegian Bokmål søke (“to seek”), Norwegian Nynorsk søkja (“to seek”), Icelandic sækja (“to seek”). The Middle English and later Modern English hard /k/…

*seh₂g- Proto-Indo-European seken Middle English sēċan Old English *sōkijan Proto-West Germanic *sōkijaną Proto-Germanic sēcð Old English sǿkja Old Norse

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Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# seek

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈsiːk/
**Frequency rank:** 2564

## Meanings
1. to try to find or get something
2. to try to achieve or obtain something
3. to ask someone for advice or help

## Examples
- Many people come to the city to seek work.
- They are seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict.
- You should seek advice from a doctor.

## Derived Forms
- aseek
- attention-seeking
- beseek
- foreseek
- forseek
- misseek
- outseek
- reseek
- seek-no-further
- seekable
- seeksorrow
- underseek

## Related Forms
- seeker

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *seh₂g-
- Root: seken
- Root: sēċan
- Root: *sōkijan
- Root: *sōkijaną
- Root: sēcð
- Root: sǿkja

## Etymology
From Middle English seken (also sechen, whence dialectal English seech), from Old English sēċan (compare beseech); from Proto-West Germanic *sōkijan, from Proto-Germanic *sōkijaną (“to seek”), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- (“to seek out”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian säike (“to seek”), West Frisian sykje (“to seek”), Dutch zoeken (“to seek”), Low German söken (“to seek”), German suchen (“to seek”), Danish søge (“to seek”), Swedish söka, Norwegian Bokmål søke (“to seek”), Norwegian Nynorsk søkja (“to seek”), Icelandic sækja (“to seek”). The Middle English and later Modern English hard /k/…

## AI Etymology
Seek is from Middle English seken (also sechen, whence dialectal English seech), from Old English sēċan (compare beseech); from Proto-West Germanic *sōkijan, from Proto-Germanic *sōkijaną (“to seek”), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- (“to seek out”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian säike (“to seek”), West Frisian sykje (“to seek”), Dutch zoeken (“to seek”), Low German söken (“to seek”), German suchen (“to seek”), Danish søge (“to seek”), Swedish söka, Norwegian Bokmål søke (“to seek”), Norwegian Nynorsk søkja (“to seek”), Icelandic sækja (“to seek”). Important forms in the word's history include Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g-, Middle English seken, Old English sēċan, Proto-West Germanic *sōkijan, Proto-Germanic *sōkijaną, Old English sēcð, Old Norse sǿkja. In current use it includes senses such as to try to find or get something and to try to achieve or obtain something.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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