Where does “wafter” come from?

wafter (English) comes from Middle English waughter, from Middle Low German wachter, from Middle Dutch wachten, from Old Dutch wahton, from Old Dutch wahta, from Proto-West Germanic wahtu, from Proto-Germanic wahtwō, from Proto-Germanic wakaną — lively, awake; strong.

wafter (English): Armed convoy or escort ship; An agent of the...

Definitions

  1. Armed convoy or escort ship; An agent of the...

Ancestry of “wafter”, step by step

wafter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English waughter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwaughter
2Middle Low Germanwachtera guard
3Middle Dutchwachtento guard, to be on guard; to guard, to protect;...
4Old Dutchwahtonto wait
5Old Dutchwahtawatch, sentry, guard
6Proto-West Germanicwahtuwatch, vigil
7Proto-Germanicwahtwōwatch, vigil
8Proto-Germanicwakanąto wake, be awake, arise
9Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵ-lively, awake; strong

via English waft

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwaftTo float easily or gently through the air; To be...
2Middle Englishwaften
3Old Englishwafettan
4Old English-ettanverbal suffix denoting frequency or intensification
5Proto-West Germanic-attjanCreates intensive verbs
6Proto-Germanic-atjanąCreates intensive verbs
7Proto-Indo-European-dyé-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weǵ-Every word from Proto-Germanic wakanąEvery word from Proto-Germanic wahtwō