Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tawn” come from?

tawn (English) comes from English town, from English Freetown, from English free, from Middle English free, from Old English frēo, from Proto-Germanic *frī, from Proto-Germanic frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós — to love, to please.

tawn (English): To tan, make tawny; A tan; Pronunciation spelling...

Definitions

  1. To tan, make tawny; A tan; Pronunciation spelling...

Ancestry of “tawn”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtownA settlement; an area with residential districts,...
2EnglishFreetown—
3EnglishfreeUnconstrained; Obtainable without any payment;...
4Middle Englishfree—
5Old Englishfrēofree, joyful
6Proto-Germanic*frī—
7Proto-Germanicfrijazfree
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanpriHósdear, beloved; happy, free
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanpreyH-to love, to please
Every word from Proto-Indo-European preyH- →