Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “games” come from?

Game comes from Middle English gamen, from Old English gamen, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm meaning "together," reflecting the social nature of play.

games (English): plural of game; Third-person singular simple...

Definitions

  1. plural of game; Third-person singular simple...

Ancestry of “games”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgameA playful or competitive activity; A video game;...
2Middle EnglishgameEntertainment or an instance of it; that which is...
3Old Englishgamengame, sport, or pastime; joy, mirth, or pleasure
4Proto-West Germanicgaman—
5Proto-Germanicgamanąa fellow human, associate, companion; pleasure,...
6Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
9Middle Englishkyt—
10Germankitt—
11Old High Germankuti—
12Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
13Proto-Germanickweduzresin
14Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
15Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “games”

  • gamesplayer
  • Paralympic Games
  • Olympic Games
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →