Where does “darken” come from?
Darken comes from Middle English derkenen, from Old English deorcnian, from Proto-West Germanic dirkinōn and derk, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰerg- and dʰer-.
darken (English): To make dark or darker by reducing light; To...
Definitions
- To make dark or darker by reducing light; To...
Ancestry of “darken”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | derkenen | — |
| 2 | Old English | deorcnian | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | dirkinōn | to darken, to become dark; to darken, to make... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | derk | dirty; dark |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | derkaz | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰerg-o-s | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰerg- | to dim, darken; dim, dull; dark, dusky |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |