Where does “thane” come from?

Thane comes from Middle English þein, from Old English þegn, from Proto-Germanic þegnaz, from Proto-Indo-European tek-.

thane (English): A rank of nobility in pre-Norman England, roughly...

Definitions

  1. A rank of nobility in pre-Norman England, roughly...

Ancestry of “thane”, step by step

thane traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Marathi ठाणे

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Marathiठाणेpost, station; police station
2Old Marathiठाणें—
3Maharastri Prakrit𑀞𑀸𑀡place; position
4Sanskritस्थानthe act of standing, standing firmly, being fixed...
5Paliṭhānaplace; state, -hood; reason
6Sanskritस्तनthe female breast (either human or animal), teat, udder
7Proto-Indo-Iranianpstánasbreast; teat, nipple
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpstḗnbreast, teat
9Proto-Indo-Europeanph₂ǵ-sth₂-ḗn—
10Proto-Indo-Europeansteh₂-to stand

via Middle English theyn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishtheynA thane; a noble, especially of minor or lesser status
2Old Englishþeġnservant
3Proto-West Germanicþegnretainer, follower, servant
4Proto-Germanicþegnazretainer, servant
5Proto-Indo-Europeanteḱ-to sire, beget

Words derived from “thane”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ph₂ǵ-sth₂-ḗn →Every word from Proto-Indo-European pstḗn →