Where does “Western” come from?
Western comes from Old English westerne, derived from Proto-Germanic westrōnijaz, which is built from the Proto-Germanic suffix -ōnijaz added to a root from Proto-Indo-European wek(ʷ)speros, meaning evening or the direction of sunset.
Western (English): Of, situated in, or related to the West; Of or...
Definitions
- Of, situated in, or related to the West; Of or...
Ancestry of “Western”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | westerne | western |
| 2 | Old English | westerne | western |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | westrōnijaz | western |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | westraz | west, western |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wek(ʷ)speros | evening |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | we- | — |