Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “twine” come from?

Twine comes from Middle English twinen, from Old English twīnan, from Proto-Germanic *twiznōną meaning "to twist together," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dwi- meaning "two."

twine (English): A twist; a convolution; A strong thread composed...

Definitions

  1. A twist; a convolution; A strong thread composed...

Ancestry of “twine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishtwinen—
2Old Englishtwīnianto twine, thread
3Proto-Germanictwiznōnąto thread
4Proto-Indo-Europeandwisnósdouble
5Proto-Indo-Europeandwóh₁two

Words derived from “twine”

  • intertwining
  • intertwine
  • entwine
  • entwining
  • entwinement
  • intertwinement
  • untwine
  • twiner
  • twineth
  • intwine
  • disentwine
  • twiny
  • entwineth
  • betwine
  • intertwiningly
  • twinest
  • intertwiner
  • entwiningly
  • entwinest
  • twineless
  • touinne
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ →