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