From: rjb@milton.u.washington.edu (LeGrand Cinq-Mars)
Subject: Re: Origin of the Word 'Orc'
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 22:47:53 GMT

This from the OED:

orc, ork (O:rk). Also 6-7 orque, orke, (7-8 orch). [In sense 1, a. F. orque
(16th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. orca, a kind of whale, taken as a specific or
generic name in Zoology.  Cf. also ONor. orkn, orkn, a kind of seal.]
  1 A cetacean of the genus Orca, family Delphinidae; esp. the killer (Orca
gladiator Gray, Delphinus Orca, Linn.).  By earlier authors applied, after the
mediaeval L. writers, to more than one vaguely identified ferocious
sea-monster.
  C. 1520 L. ANDREWE Noble Lyfe in Babees Bk. 236 Orchun is a monster of the
se..& he is mortal ennemye to the balene, & tereth asonder the bely of the
balene. 1611 COTGR., Epaular, an Orke; a great sea-fish mortall enemie vnto
the Whall. 1612 DRAYTON Poly-olb. ii. 25 The uglie Orks that for their Lord
the ocean wooe. 1638 RAWLEY tr. Bacon's Hist. Life & Death (1650) 11 Touching
that monstrous bulk of the Whale, or Orke, how long it is weilded by vitall
spirit, we have received nothing certain. 1667 MILTON P.L. XI. 835 The haunt
of Seales and Orcs, and Sea-mews clang. 1822 W. TENNANT Thane of Fife V. vi,
Whole herds of sea-cows and of orcs appear. 1827 tr. Cuvier's Anim. Kingd. IV.
455 There are two varieties of the Delphinus Orca, the Orc and the Grampus.
1869 BROWNING Ring & Bk. IX. 972 Near and nearer comes the snorting orc.
  2 Sometimes more vaguely (perh. derived from or influenced by L. Orcus,
Romanic orco: see OGRE, and cf. OE. orcpyrs odde heldeofol `orc-giant or
hell-devil', also orcneas in Beowulf: see ORKEN), A devouring monster, an
hell-devil', also orcneas in Beowulf: see ORKEN), A devouring monster, an
ogre.  Used by J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973) in his tales: one of an imaginary
warlike people in whom are combined human and ogreish characteristics.  Also
attrib. and Comb.
  1598 SYLVESTER Du Bartas II. i. III. Furies 51 Insatiate Orque, that even at
one repast Almost all Creatures in the World would waste. 1656 S. HOLLAND Zara
(1719) 5 Who at one Stroak didst pare away three Heads from off the shoulders
of an Orke, begotten by an Incubus. 1865 KINGSLEY Herew. I. i. 71 But beyond,
things unspeakable-dragons, giants, orcs [etc.].1937 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Hobbit
vii. 149 Before you could get round Mirkwood in the North you would be right
among the slopes of the Grey Mountains, and they are simply stiff with
goblins, hobgoblins, and orcs of the worst description. 1954 J. R. R. TOLKIEN
Fellowship of Ring 15 The last battle..was beyond living memory: the Battle of
Greenfields, S.R. 1147, in which Bandobras Took routed an invasion of Orcs.
1954 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Fellowship of Ring 23 With the help of the ring he
escaped from the orc-guards at the gate and rejoined his fellows. 1954 J. R.
R. TOLKIEN Fellowship of Ring 339 The orcs were dismayed by the fierceness of
the defence. 1954 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Fellowship of Ring 346 There was a guard of
orcs crouching in the shadows behind the great door-posts towering on either
side. 1954 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Fellowship of Ring 350 The cut is not poisoned, as
the wounds of orc-blades too often are. 1954 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Two Towers 48
Orc-speech sounded at all times full of hate and anger. 1954 J. R. R. TOLKIEN
Two Towers 138 There the hugest Orcs were mustered, and the wild men of the
Dunland fells. 1954 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Two Towers 171 He was not so obviously
orc-like as most of these were. 1955 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Return of King 279 No
welcome, no beer, no smoke, and a lot of rules and orc-talk instead. 1955 J.
R. R. TOLKIEN Return of King 412 But Orcs and Trolls spoke as they would,
without love of words or things; and their language was actually more degraded
and filthy than I have shown it. A. 1973 J. R. R. TOLKIEN Silmarillion (1977)
x. 96 And when Thingol came again to Menegroth he learned that the Orc-host in
the west was victorious.
  3 A large cask or vessel for liquor, etc.; a butt.  (So L. orca.)  Obs.
  1638 WHITING Hist. Albino & Bellama E v b, One bad them fill an Orke of
Bacchus water. 1658 PHILLIPS, An Orch, or Ork, a monstrous fish,..also a Butt
for wine, or figs
4 Comb. (from 1), as orc-catcher, -killer.
  1631 P. FLETCHER Sicelides F ij b, Because a lover, therefore an Orkekiller.
1631 P. FLETCHER Sicelides,  F ij b, That Orke-catcher Ataches. 1631 P.
FLETCHER Sicelides I ij, That Orke mouth of thine did crumme thy porridge with
my grandsires braines.
  Hence ork v. nonce-wd., to make an orc or monster of.
  1631 P. FLETCHER Sicelides F ij b, I Orkt you once, and now Ile fit you for a
Cupid.


--Hope this clarifies things.

--LeGrand