Where does “sayen” come from?

sayen (English) comes from Middle English seien, from Old English seċġan, from Proto-West Germanic saggjan, from Proto-Germanic sagjaną, from Proto-Indo-European sokʷ-h₁-yé-, from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- — to follow; to see; to say.

sayen (English): plural simple present of say

Definitions

  1. plural simple present of say

Ancestry of “sayen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishseienTo say, "that is:"; Say!; To fall down, to sink
2Old Englishseċġansay; to say, speak
3Proto-West Germanicsaggjanto say
4Proto-Germanicsagjanąto say
5Proto-Indo-Europeansokʷ-h₁-yé-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeansekʷ-to follow; to see; to say
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European sokʷ-h₁-yé- →Every word from Proto-Germanic sagjaną →