Where does “through” come from?

Through comes from Middle English thrugh and thurgh, from Old English þuruh, from Proto-Germanic þurhw, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European terh₂-, a root meaning to cross or pierce.

through (English): From one side of an opening to the other;...

Definitions

  1. From one side of an opening to the other;...

Ancestry of “through”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishthrugh—
2Old EnglishþurhAPI; through; by means of: by, through, via
3Proto-Germanicþurhwthrough
4Proto-Indo-Europeantr̥h₂kʷe—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₂-to cross over, pass through, overcome

Words derived from “through”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European terh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European tr̥h₂kʷe →Every word from Proto-Germanic þurhw →