Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “postwar” come from?

postwar (English) comes from English War, from Middle English werre, from Old Norse verri, from Proto-Germanic wirsizô, from Proto-Indo-European wers-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

postwar (English): Alternative spelling of post-war

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of post-war

Ancestry of “postwar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWar—
2Middle EnglishwerreWar in general; the practice of fighting between...
3Old Norseverricomparative degree of illr, worse; worse
4Proto-Germanicwirsizôcomparative degree of *ubilaz; worse
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwers-to wipe; peak, height
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →