Where does “dern” come from?
dern (English) comes from Middle English dern, from Old English dyrne, from Proto-West Germanic darnī, from Middle English derk, from Old English deorc, from Proto-West Germanic derk, from Proto-Germanic derkaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰerg-o-s — to support; to hold.
dern (English): A secret; secrecy; A secret place; hiding; An...
Definitions
- A secret; secrecy; A secret place; hiding; An...
Ancestry of “dern”, step by step
dern traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English dern
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | dern | — |
| 2 | Old English | dyrne | Alternative form of dierne |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | darnī | hidden, concealed; secret |
| 4 | Middle English | derk | dark |
| 5 | Old English | deorc | dark |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | derk | dirty; dark |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | derkaz | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰerg-o-s | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰerg- | to dim, darken; dim, dull; dark, dusky |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |
via German Dern
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Dern | — |