Where does “slain” come from?
Slain is the past participle of English slay, from Middle English sleen, Old English slēan, Proto-Germanic slahaną, and Proto-Indo-European slak-, meaning to strike or hit.
slain (English): past participle of slay; Those who have been...
Definitions
- past participle of slay; Those who have been...
Ancestry of “slain”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | slay | To kill, murder; To eradicate or stamp out; To... |
| 2 | Middle English | sleen | To strike, beat, or hit |
| 3 | Old English | slēan | to hit, strike, slay; to strike, beat, smite; to... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | slahan | to hit, to strike; to kill |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | slahaną | to hit, to strike; to kill |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | slak- | to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,... |