Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “giving” come from?

Giving derives from English give, from Old Norse gefa, from Proto-Germanic gebaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰab(ʰ)-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʰebʰ-.

giving (English): present participle of give; having the tendency...

Definitions

  1. present participle of give; having the tendency...

Ancestry of “giving”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgiveTo move, shift, provide something abstract or...
2EnglishforegiveTo give ahead of time; give in advance
3Englishfore-Positioned at or near the front; Before; ahead or...
4EnglishForeA people of Papua New Guinea
5GermanFahr—
6GermanFähreferry
7Middle High Germanverren—
8Old High Germanferranafrom afar
9Old High Germanferroafar; skipper
10Proto-West Germanic*ferrō—
11Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
12Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy—
13Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
14Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “giving”

  • Thanksgiving
  • thanksgiving
  • caregiving
  • almsgiving
  • lawgiving
  • ungiving
  • givingness
  • prizegiving
  • nongiving
  • gaingiving
  • Thanksgiving Thursday
  • gift-giving
  • Giving Tuesday
  • Thanksgivingy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →