Where does “World” come from?

World (English) comes from Middle English world, from Old English weorold, from Proto-West Germanic weraldi, from Proto-Germanic weraldiz, from Proto-Germanic weraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

World (English): The specific world, or any of several specific constituent worlds, that humans live in, among any other (real or possible) worlds

Definitions

  1. The specific world, or any of several specific constituent worlds, that humans live in, among any other (real or possible) worlds

Ancestry of “World”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishworldThe world, the planet; A dimension, realm, or...
2Old Englishweoroldworld
3Proto-West Germanicweraldiworld
4Proto-Germanicweraldizlifetime, worldly existence; mankind; world
5Proto-Germanicwerazman; husband
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

Words derived from “World

Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁-