Etymology Explorer › Anglo-Norman

Where does “waive” come from?

waive (Anglo-Norman) comes from Old French weyver, from Old Norse veifa, from Proto-Germanic waibijaną, from Proto-Indo-European weyp- — to shake, tremble, agitate; to swing, sway; to...

Ancestry of “waive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchweyverwaiver; to waive; to relinquish; to forgo
2Old Norseveifato wave
3Proto-Germanicwaibijanąto wind , wrap
4Proto-Indo-Europeanweyp-to shake, tremble, agitate; to swing, sway; to...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyp- →