Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “dry” come from?

Dry comes from Middle English drye, from Old English drȳġe, from Proto-Germanic drūgiz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰerǵʰ-, ultimately from the root dʰer-.

dry (English): Free from or lacking moisture; Unable to produce...

Definitions

  1. Free from or lacking moisture; Unable to produce...

Ancestry of “dry”, step by step

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

Words derived from “dry”

  • drying
  • dryness
  • dryly
  • dryer
  • drier
  • drily
  • drywall
  • dryland
  • hairdryer
  • drypoint
  • drystone
  • dryline
  • drydock
  • dryshod
  • drieth
  • dryish
  • semidry
  • drysalter
  • drysuit
  • adry
  • nondrying
  • drystack
  • overdry
  • driness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →