Where does “undergarments” come from?
undergarments (English) comes from English undergarment, from English garment, from Middle English garment, from Old French garnement, from Old French guarnir, from Frankish warnijan, from Proto-Germanic warnijaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēr- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
undergarments (English): plural of undergarment
Ancestry of “undergarments”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | undergarment | Any garment worn underneath others, especially... |
| 2 | English | garment | A single item of clothing; Short for temple... |
| 3 | Middle English | garment | — |
| 4 | Old French | garnement | garment; piece of clothing |
| 5 | Old French | guarnir | to protect; to arm; to armor |
| 6 | Frankish | warnijan | to ward, take care of; to ward, take care of... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | warnijaną | to care, worry; to worry, care, heed; to worry,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |