Etymology Explorer › EnglishWhere does “eerie” come from? Eerie comes from Middle English eri, Old English earg, Proto-Germanic argaz, and Proto-Indo-European h₁ergʰ-, a root expressing sudden fear or agitation.
eerie (English): Strange, weird, fear-inspiring; Frightened, timid
Definitions Strange, weird, fear-inspiring; Frightened, timid Ancestry of “eerie”, step by step Step Language Word Meaning 1 Middle English eri frightening, fearing 2 Old English earg cowardly; a coward 3 Proto-West Germanic arg cowardly 4 Proto-Germanic argaz unmanly, cowardly, unworthy, indecent 5 Proto-Indo-European h₁ergʰ- to go, move; to mount; to move, go
Words derived from “eerie”