Where does “war” come from?

war (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch werre, from Old Dutch werra, from Proto-Germanic werrō, from Proto-Germanic werzō, from Proto-Indo-European wers-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

war (Dutch): confusion, disarray; tangle, mess; an elevated...

Definitions

  1. confusion, disarray; tangle, mess; an elevated...

Ancestry of “war”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchwerre—
2Old Dutchwerra—
3Proto-Germanicwerrōconfusion, disarray; conflict, strife
4Proto-Germanicwerzō—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwers-to wipe; peak, height
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “war”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wers- →Every word from Proto-Germanic werzō →