sheep

the modern english word "sheep" descends directly from the old english noun "scēap," which referred to the animal. this old english term has germanic roots, cognate with old frisian "skēp," middle low german "schāp," and old high german "scāf." it is reconstructed in proto-germanic as "skēpą," though its ultimate pre-germanic origin is uncertain. the semantic journey is remarkably stable, with the core meaning of the woolly ruminant animal remaining constant for over a millennium. the figurative sense of a timid, conforming person developed later, drawing on the perceived behavioral characteristics of the animal in a flock.

the word "sheep" is a simplex word of old english origin. it does not contain separable morphemes in modern english.