Where does “deathsman” come from?
deathsman (English) comes from English death, from Middle English deth, from Old English dēaþ, from Old English wīc, from German witz, from Middle High German witz, from Old High German wizzi, from Proto-West Germanic wītī — to see.
deathsman (English): An executioner; a headsman or hangman
Definitions
- An executioner; a headsman or hangman
Ancestry of “deathsman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | death | The cessation of life and all associated... |
| 2 | Middle English | deth | Alternative form of deeth |
| 3 | Old English | dēaþ | death |
| 4 | Old English | wīc | dwelling place, abode; abode, dwelling-place;... |
| 5 | German | witz | — |
| 6 | Middle High German | witz | — |
| 7 | Old High German | wizzi | — |
| 8 | Proto-West Germanic | wītī | punishment |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | witją | knowledge; reason; sense; understanding; wit |
| 10 | Proto-Germanic | *witaną | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | wóyde | to have seen, to know |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | weyd- | to see |