Where does “innerwear” come from?

innerwear (English) comes from English Wear, from Middle English weren, from Old English werian, from Proto-West Germanic waʀjan, from Proto-Germanic warjaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

innerwear (English): clothing worn underneath other clothing, nearer...

Definitions

  1. clothing worn underneath other clothing, nearer...

Ancestry of “innerwear”, step by step

innerwear traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Wear

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWearThe cities of Durham and Sunderland are situated upon its grand banks
2Middle EnglishwerenPlural past indicative form of been; Plural...
3Old Englishwerianto wear; to defend, protect
4Proto-West Germanicwaʀjanto clothe
5Proto-Germanicwarjanąto ward off, to defend against; to thwart, to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

via English inner

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishinnerBeing or occurring inside, situated farther in,...
2Middle Englishinner
3Old Englishinnerainner, interior
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wēr-Every word from Proto-Germanic warjaną
innerwear — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer