Where does “groan” come from?
Groan comes from Middle English gronen, from Old English grānian, from Proto-Germanic grainōną and grīnaną, both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʰer-.
groan (English): A low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief; A...
Definitions
- A low, mournful sound uttered in pain or grief; A...
Ancestry of “groan”, step by step
groan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English gronen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | gronen | To groan; to make a groaning or moaning sound; To... |
| 2 | Old English | grānian | to groan; lament; murmur; to groan |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *grainōn | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | grainōną | to howl; weep |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | grīnaną | to snarl, show teeth, grin; to flash, give light |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰer- | to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines |