Where does “iron” come from?
Iron derives from Middle English iren, from Old English īsen, from Proto-Germanic īsarną, from Proto-Celtic īsarnom, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ésh₂r̥, a root of unknown ultimate meaning.
iron (English): A common, inexpensive metal, silvery grey when...
Definitions
- A common, inexpensive metal, silvery grey when...
Ancestry of “iron”, step by step
iron traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Ossetian ирон
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ossetian | ирон | Ossetian person; an Ossetian, speaking the Iron... |
| 2 | Ossetian | ир | Ossetians, the Ossetian nation; the speakers of... |
| 3 | Proto-Iranian | wiHráh | man |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | wiHrás | man |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wiHrós | man; husband; warrior, hero |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | weyh₁- | to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute |