Where does “pwn” come from?
pwn (English) comes from English own, from Middle English aȝen, from Old English āgen, from Proto-West Germanic aigan, from Proto-Germanic *aiganą, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eh₂óyḱe, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyḱ- — to possess, to own.
pwn (English): To own, to defeat or dominate; Triumph, victory....
Definitions
- To own, to defeat or dominate; Triumph, victory....
Ancestry of “pwn”, step by step
pwn traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English own
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | own | Belonging to; possessed; proper to. Often marks a... |
| 2 | Middle English | aȝen | Alternative form of awen |
| 3 | Old English | āgen | peculiar; own, proper, peculiar |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | aigan | to possess, to own, to have; own |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *aiganą | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₂óyḱe | to possess, to own |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyḱ- | to possess, to own |