Where does “smallware” come from?

smallware (English) comes from English Ware, from Middle English ware, from Old English wær, from Proto-West Germanic wār, from Proto-Germanic wēraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

smallware (English): Small useful items of merchandise including kitchen utensils

Definitions

  1. Small useful items of merchandise including kitchen utensils

Ancestry of “smallware”, step by step

smallware traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Ware

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWareA placename
2Middle EnglishwareAlternative form of veir; Alternative form of...
3Old Englishwærcautious, on guard, watching out for something;...
4Proto-West Germanicwārtrue, reliable
5Proto-Germanicwēraztrue; reliable; friendly; kind
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

via English Small

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSmallNot large or big; insignificant; few in number
2Middle EnglishsmalSmall, miniscule; Little, few, scarce; Ground...
3Old Englishsmælnarrow, slim; not broad; slender; not thick;...
4Proto-West Germanicsmalsmall
5Proto-Germanicsmalazsmall
6Proto-Indo-European(s)mal-small; little
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wiHrósEvery word from Proto-Germanic wēraz