Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Woodward” come from?

Woodward derives from English wood, from Middle English wood, from Old English wudu, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wer-.

Ancestry of “Woodward”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwodeward—
2Old Englishwuduweard—
3Old Englishweardguard; guard, the action of looking out for...
4Old Englishōraore, unwrought metal
5Old Englishēarsea, ocean; grave, earth
6Proto-Germanicahazear
7Proto-Finnicahtasnarrow, cramped
8Proto-Balticanśtas—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂énǵʰusnarrow, tight
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enǵʰ-to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...

Words derived from “Woodward”

  • Woodwardian
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enǵʰ- →