Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “storm” come from?

Storm descends from Old English storm, from Proto-Germanic sturmaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)twer-, meaning to turn or whirl.

storm (English): Any disturbed state of the atmosphere, especially...

Definitions

  1. Any disturbed state of the atmosphere, especially...

Ancestry of “storm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishstormA storm; an instance of intense wind and...
2Old Englishstormstorm
3Proto-West Germanic*sturm—
4Proto-Germanicsturmazstorm
5Proto-Indo-European(s)twer-to rotate, swirl, twirl, move around; to turn...

Words derived from “storm”

  • brainstorming
  • thunderstorm
  • snowstorm
  • brainstorm
  • stormwater
  • rainstorm
  • firestorm
  • hailstorm
  • sandstorm
  • windstorm
  • substorm
  • stormless
  • shitstorm
  • stormtossed
  • stormful
  • stormflow
  • stormcloud
  • stormer
  • duststorm
  • stormbound
  • barnstorm
  • stormwind
  • prestorm
  • superstorm
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)twer- →