Etymology tree Middle Dutch quacsalven Dutch quacksalverbor. English quacksalverclip. English quack Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzijos Latin -āriusnom. Latin -ārius Old French -ier Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Old French -ie Old French -eriebor. Middle English -erie English -ery English quackery From quack + -ery.