Where does “protowriting” come from?
protowriting (English) comes from English writing, from Middle English writing, from Old English wrīting, from Old English wrītan, from Proto-West Germanic wrītan, from Proto-Germanic wrītaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
protowriting (English): Any of the early systems of symbols that...
Definitions
- Any of the early systems of symbols that...
Ancestry of “protowriting”, step by step
protowriting traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English writing
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | writing | Graphism of symbols such as letters that express... |
| 2 | Middle English | writing | — |
| 3 | Old English | wrīting | writing |
| 4 | Old English | wrītan | to incise, engrave; to scratch, carve, write; to... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wrītan | to scratch, to carve |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wrītaną | to scratch, carve; to engrave, inscribe, write |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |
via English proto
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | proto | Prototypical; preceding the proper beginning of... |
| 2 | English | proto- | first; most recent common ancestor of; Relating... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πρωτο- | first, primary |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | πρῶτος | first; earliest; foremost, most prominent |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | πρό | before; before, in front, forth, forward; before,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pró | toward, leading to |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |