Where does “driness” come from?

driness (English) comes from English dry, from Middle English drye, from Old English drȳġe, from Proto-West Germanic *drūgi, from Proto-Germanic drūgiz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰerǵʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

driness (English): Archaic form of dryness

Definitions

  1. Archaic form of dryness

Ancestry of “driness”, step by step

driness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English dry

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdryFree from or lacking moisture; Unable to produce...
2Middle EnglishdryeDry; lacking wetness, humidity, or water; Not...
3Old Englishdrȳġedry; dry; parched, withered
4Proto-West Germanic*drūgidry
5Proto-Germanicdrūgizhard, solid; dry
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰerǵʰ-to strengthen; to strengthen; become hard; to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰerǵʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic drūgiz
driness — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer