Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “dire” come from?

Dire comes from Latin dirus, from Proto-Italic deiros, from Proto-Indo-European dwey-, a root of uncertain original meaning.

dire (English): Warning of bad consequences: ill-boding;...

Definitions

  1. Warning of bad consequences: ill-boding;...

Ancestry of “dire”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latindirusfearful; ominous; dreadful, detestable
2Proto-Italicdeiros—
3Proto-Indo-Europeandwey-to fear

Words derived from “dire”

  • direful
  • direly
  • direfully
  • direness
  • direfulness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dwey- →