Etymology Explorer › Afrikaans

Where does “weerwolf” come from?

weerwolf (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch weerwolf, from Middle Dutch wēerwolf, from Old Dutch werwulf, from Proto-West Germanic werawulf, from Proto-West Germanic wer, from Proto-Germanic wēraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

weerwolf (Afrikaans): werewolf; aardwolf, Proteles cristatus

Definitions

  1. werewolf; aardwolf, Proteles cristatus

Ancestry of “weerwolf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchweerwolfwerewolf
2Middle Dutchwēerwolf—
3Old Dutchwerwulf—
4Proto-West Germanicwerawulfwolf-man, werewolf
5Proto-West Germanicwerman
6Proto-Germanicwēraztrue; reliable; friendly; kind
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
8Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →