Where does “vary” come from?
Vary comes from Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin vario, derived from the adjective varius meaning "different" or "diverse," with the suffix -us continuing Old Latin -os, Proto-Italic -os, and Proto-Indo-European -ós.
vary (English): To change with time or a similar parameter; To...
Definitions
- To change with time or a similar parameter; To...
Ancestry of “vary”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | varien | — |
| 2 | Old French | varier | — |
| 3 | Latin | variō | to diversify, variegate, change, transform, make different or various, alter, vary, interchange |
| 4 | Latin | varius | diverse, different, various, variegated |
| 5 | Latin | vārus | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wer- | to lift up; to moisten; to flow; to raise, hang |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |