Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “drain” come from?

Drain comes from Middle English dreinen, from Old English drēahnian, from Proto-Germanic drauhnōną and draugiz, both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰerǵʰ- and dʰer-, roots associated with holding or grasping.

drain (English): A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an...

Definitions

  1. A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an...

Ancestry of “drain”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdreinen—
2Old Englishdrēahnianto drain, strain, filter
3Proto-Germanicdrauhnōnąto strain, sieve
4Proto-Germanicdraugizhard, solid; dry
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰerǵʰ-to strengthen; to strengthen; become hard; to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

Words derived from “drain”

  • drainage
  • drained
  • draining
  • undrained
  • drainpipe
  • drainer
  • underdrain
  • drainable
  • drainboard
  • subdrainage
  • undrainable
  • nondraining
  • draintile
  • drainless
  • drainageway
  • nondrained
  • palaeodrainage
  • subdrain
  • draineth
  • drainest
  • lifedraining
  • draincock
  • drainplug
  • nondrainage
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →