Where does “earwax” come from?
earwax (English) comes from Middle English erewax, from Middle English ēre, from Old English ēare, from Proto-West Germanic auʀā, from Proto-Germanic ausô, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ṓws, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ew- — to enjoy; to consume; to perceive, see, to be...
earwax (English): A waxy substance secreted by the ear
Definitions
- A waxy substance secreted by the ear
Ancestry of “earwax”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | erewax | — |
| 2 | Middle English | ēre | — |
| 3 | Old English | ēare | ear |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | auʀā | ear |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | ausô | ear |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ṓws | ear |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ew- | to enjoy; to consume; to perceive, see, to be... |