Dutch word zaak comes from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g-, and later Proto-Germanic *sakaną (To charge, dispute.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *seh₂g- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to seek out |
| *sakaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To charge, dispute. |
| *sakō | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Charge, case, lawsuit. Quarrel. Thing, matter. |
| saka | Old Dutch (odt) | |
| *saka | Old Dutch (odt) | |
| sake | Middle Dutch (dum) | Case, matter, affair. Cause, reason. Thing. |
| zaak | Dutch (nld) | (legal) case, suit. General term with which one indicates a thing or a concept that is not a person: thing. Matter. Shop, small store, business. |