Where does “death” come from?
Death comes from Middle English deeth, Old English dēaþ, Proto-West Germanic dauþu, Proto-Germanic dauþuz, and Proto-Indo-European dʰówtus, ultimately denoting the cessation of life.
death (English): The cessation of life and all associated...
Definitions
- The cessation of life and all associated...
Ancestry of “death”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | deth | Alternative form of deeth |
| 2 | Old English | dēaþ | death |
| 3 | Old English | wīc | dwelling place, abode; abode, dwelling-place;... |
| 4 | German | witz | joke |
| 5 | Middle High German | witz | — |
| 6 | Old High German | wizzi | — |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | wītī | punishment |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | witją | knowledge; reason; sense; understanding; wit |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | *witaną | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | wóyde | to have seen, to know |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | weyd- | to see |