Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “edge” come from?

Edge comes from Middle English egge, from Old Norse egg, from Proto-Germanic agjō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱ-, h₂ōwyóm, ḱak-, and ḱek-, though the ultimate sense development remains unclear.

edge (English): The boundary line of a surface; A one-dimensional...

Definitions

  1. The boundary line of a surface; A one-dimensional...

Ancestry of “edge”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwiseShowing good judgement or the benefit of...
2Middle Englishwyswise, thoughtful, proper; knowledgeable; alert,...
3Old Englishwīswise
4Proto-Germanicwīsazwise, knowledgeable
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweydstosknowledgeable
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see

Words derived from “edge”

  • edgy
  • Edgerton
  • edgewise
  • edgeways
  • edginess
  • edgework
  • hyperedge
  • edgeless
  • edger
  • edgily
  • edgestitch
  • overedge
  • edgeware
  • edgeway
  • disedge
  • edgebanding
  • edgelessness
  • outedge
  • edgeth
  • unedge
  • edgestone
  • edgest
  • edgelike
  • interedge
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →