Where does “overwary” come from?
overwary (English) comes from English over, from Middle English over, from Old English ōfer, from Proto-West Germanic obar, from Proto-Germanic uber, from Proto-Indo-European upér, from Proto-Indo-European upó, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.
overwary (English): Too wary; excessively cautious
Definitions
- Too wary; excessively cautious
Ancestry of “overwary”, step by step
overwary traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English over
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | over | Discontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;... |
| 2 | Middle English | over | riverbank, seashore, brink |
| 3 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |
via English wary
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wary | Cautious of danger; carefully watching and... |
| 2 | English | Ware | A placename |
| 3 | Middle English | ware | Alternative form of veir; Alternative form of... |
| 4 | Old English | wær | cautious, on guard, watching out for something;... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wār | true, reliable |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wēraz | true; reliable; friendly; kind |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wiHrós | man; husband; warrior, hero |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | weyh₁- | to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute |