Where does “war” come from?

war (Dutch Low Saxon) comes from Low German wahr, from Middle Low German wâr, from Old Saxon wār, from Proto-West Germanic wār, from Proto-Germanic wēraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

war (Dutch Low Saxon): true

Definitions

  1. true

Ancestry of “war”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Low Germanwahrtrue
2Middle Low Germanwâr—
3Old Saxonwārtrue
4Proto-West Germanicwārtrue, reliable
5Proto-Germanicwēraztrue; reliable; friendly; kind
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós →Every word from Proto-Germanic wēraz →