Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “earth” come from?

Earth comes from Middle English erthe, from Old English eorþe, from Proto-Germanic erþō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁er-.

earth (English): Soil; Any general rock-based material; The...

Definitions

  1. Soil; Any general rock-based material; The...

Ancestry of “earth”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishertheEarth; the world; The Earth's people or...
2Old Englisheorþeground; the planet Earth; dirt
3Proto-West Germanicerþuearth, world; earth, soil
4Proto-Germanicerþōearth
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁er-earth

Words derived from “earth”

  • unearth
  • earthwork
  • earthing
  • earthbound
  • Eartha
  • earthshaking
  • earthwards
  • earthmoving
  • earthborn
  • earthlike
  • earthshattering
  • earthmover
  • earthflow
  • earthness
  • earthbank
  • inearth
  • earthrise
  • earthshaker
  • transearth
  • earthstar
  • earthware
  • earthshakingly
  • earthhouse
  • earthish
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁er- →