Where does “Wearmouth” come from?

Wearmouth (English) comes from English Wear, from Middle English weren, from Old English werian, from Proto-West Germanic waʀjan, from Proto-Germanic warjaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

Wearmouth (English): The Saxon name for the area on each side of the mouth of the River Wear, including Bishopwearmouth and Monkwearmouth, that later became Sunderland

Definitions

  1. The Saxon name for the area on each side of the mouth of the River Wear, including Bishopwearmouth and Monkwearmouth, that later became Sunderland

Ancestry of “Wearmouth”, step by step

Wearmouth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Wear

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWearThe cities of Durham and Sunderland are situated upon its grand banks
2Middle EnglishwerenPlural past indicative form of been; Plural...
3Old Englishwerianto wear; to defend, protect
4Proto-West Germanicwaʀjanto clothe
5Proto-Germanicwarjanąto ward off, to defend against; to thwart, to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

via English mouth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmouthThe opening of a creature through which food is...
2Middle EnglishmouþAlternative form of mouth
3Old Englishmūþmouth, opening, door, gate
4Proto-West Germanic*munþmouth
5Proto-Germanicmunþazmouth
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmen-to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wēr-Every word from Proto-Germanic warjaną