Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tarriness” come from?

tarriness (English) comes from English tarry, from Middle English tarien, from Old English tirian, from Proto-Germanic terganą, from Proto-Indo-European derHgʰ- — to tug, to stretch; to pluck.

tarriness (English): The state or condition of being tarry

Definitions

  1. The state or condition of being tarry

Ancestry of “tarriness”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtarryTo delay; to be late or tardy in beginning or...
2Middle Englishtariento vex, harass, cause to hesitate, delay
3Old Englishtirian—
4Proto-Germanicterganą—
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanderHgʰ-to tug, to stretch; to pluck
Every word from Proto-Indo-European derHgʰ- →