Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “deed” come from?

Deed comes from Middle English dede, from Old English dǣd, from Proto-Germanic dēdiz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰéh₁tis, ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root dʰeh₁-.

deed (English): An action or act; something that is done; A brave...

Definitions

  1. An action or act; something that is done; A brave...

Ancestry of “deed”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdede—
2Old Englishdēd—
3Proto-West Germanicdādideed
4Proto-Germanicdēdizdeed, act; doing, able to do, active
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰéh₁tisact of putting, placement
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeh₁-to do, put, place

Words derived from “deed”

  • deedless
  • deedy
  • deedful
  • deedly
  • almsdeed
  • deedholder
  • deeds
  • bond for deed
  • counterdeed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁- →