Where does “drear” come from?
Drear comes from Middle English drery, from Old English drēoriġ, from Proto-Germanic dreuzagaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots dʰreus- and -kos, with further connection to Proto-Indo-European dʰrew-.
drear (English): Dreary; Gloom; sadness
Ancestry of “drear”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | dreary | Drab; dark, colorless, or cheerless; Grievous,... |
| 2 | Middle English | drery | Experiencing sadness; glum, unhappy; Showing... |
| 3 | Old English | drēoriġ | sad |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | dreuzagaz | bloody; gory; sad |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰreus- | to break, break off, crumble |
Words derived from “drear”