Where does “waiter” come from?
waiter (Anglo-Norman) comes from Frankish wahtwēn, from Frankish wahtu, from Proto-Germanic wahtwō, from Proto-Germanic wakaną, from Proto-Indo-European weǵ- — lively, awake; strong.
Ancestry of “waiter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Frankish | wahtwēn | to guard, protect; to keep watch |
| 2 | Frankish | wahtu | watch, guard; watch, guard duty, watchtower;... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wahtwō | watch, vigil |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wakaną | to wake, be awake, arise |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵ- | lively, awake; strong |