Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “dream” come from?

Dream comes from Middle English dreme, from Old English drēam, from Proto-West Germanic draum, from Proto-Germanic draumaz and draugmaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰrewgʰ- and dʰer-.

dream (English): Imaginary events seen in the mind while sleeping;...

Definitions

  1. Imaginary events seen in the mind while sleeping;...

Ancestry of “dream”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdremmusic; voice, conversing; joy, mirthfulness
2Old Frisiandrēma—
3Proto-West Germanic*draumijan—
4Proto-Germanicdraumijanąto dream
5Proto-Germanicdraumazdream
6Proto-Germanicdraugmaz—
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰrowgʰ-mos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰrewgʰ-to deceive, to mislead; to serve one's tribe;...
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

Words derived from “dream”

  • dreaming
  • dreamy
  • dreamt
  • dreamily
  • daydreaming
  • daydream
  • dreamlike
  • dreamless
  • dreamland
  • undreamed
  • dreaminess
  • undreamt
  • Dreamtime
  • dreamworld
  • dreamscape
  • dreamful
  • dreamlessly
  • dreamwork
  • daydreamer
  • dreamest
  • dreamcatcher
  • dreamboat
  • dreameth
  • dreamingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →