Where does “topwear” come from?

topwear (English) comes from English Wear, from Middle English weren, from Old English werian, from Proto-West Germanic waʀjan, from Proto-Germanic warjaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

topwear (English): Clothing worn above the waist, including shirts, vests, jackets, coats, etc

Definitions

  1. Clothing worn above the waist, including shirts, vests, jackets, coats, etc

Ancestry of “topwear”, step by step

topwear traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Wear

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWearThe cities of Durham and Sunderland are situated upon its grand banks
2Middle EnglishwerenPlural past indicative form of been; Plural...
3Old Englishwerianto wear; to defend, protect
4Proto-West Germanicwaʀjanto clothe
5Proto-Germanicwarjanąto ward off, to defend against; to thwart, to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

via English top

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtopThe highest or uppermost part of something; A...
2Middle EnglishtopThe summit or top of something, especially a...
3Old Englishtopptop, summit (of something)
4Proto-West Germanic*topptop, summit, crest
5Proto-Germanictuppaztuft, plait; top, summit
6Proto-Indo-Europeandumb-tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer-