Where does “caretaking” come from?

Caretaking derives from English care, from Middle English care, from Old English caru, from Proto-Germanic karō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵeh₂r-.

caretaking (English): The act of taking care or taking charge of...

Definitions

  1. The act of taking care or taking charge of...

Ancestry of “caretaking”, step by step

caretaking traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English care

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcareGrief, sorrow; Close attention; concern;...
2Middle Englishcaregrief; sorrow
3Old Englishcaruworry, anxiety, care; sorrow, grief
4Proto-West Germanickarucare, worry
5Proto-Germanickarōcomplaint, lament, grievance, moan; worry,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵeh₂r-to shout, cry; exclamation; voice; to call, cry

via English taking

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtakingAlluring; attractive; Infectious; contagious; The...

Words derived from “caretaking

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵeh₂r-
caretaking — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer