Where does “wantcha” come from?
wantcha (English) comes from English want, from Middle English wont, from Old English ġewunod, from Old English ġewunian, from Old English ġē, from Proto-Germanic jahw, from Proto-Germanic -hw, from Proto-Germanic -hwe — and; Forms distributives from interrogatives.
Ancestry of “wantcha”, step by step
wantcha traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English want
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | want | To wish for or desire (something); to feel a need or desire for; to crave, hanker, or demand |
| 2 | Middle English | wont | custom, habit, practice |
| 3 | Old English | ġewunod | — |
| 4 | Old English | ġewunian | to stand by (someone), support |
| 5 | Old English | ġē | ye |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | jahw | and, also |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -hw | and; Forms distributives from interrogatives |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | -hwe | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -kʷe | and; Forms distributives from interrogatives |