Where does “near” come from?

Near comes from Middle English nere, from Old English nēora, from Proto-Germanic neurô, from Proto-Indo-European negʷʰrós, ultimately related to Proto-Indo-European h₂neḱ- meaning to approach or draw close.

near (English): Physically close; Close in time; Closely...

Definitions

  1. Physically close; Close in time; Closely...

Ancestry of “near”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishnerekidney; near; weren't
2Middle Low Germannēre—
3Proto-West Germanic*neurō—
4Proto-Germanicneurôkidney; testicle
5Proto-Indo-Europeannegʷʰróskidney

Words derived from “near”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European negʷʰrós →