Where does “wanton” come from?
Wanton derives from Middle English wantoun, combining Middle English towen (to pull) from Old English togian and Old English tēon (to draw, lead), both tracing to Proto-Indo-European dewk- (to lead) and wen- (to desire).
wanton (English): Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled;...
Definitions
- Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled;...
Ancestry of “wanton”, step by step
wanton traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English wantoun
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wantoun | — |
| 2 | Old English | togen | — |
| 3 | Old English | tēon | to drag, draw, pull; to train, discipline; to... |
| 4 | Old English | tēohan | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | teuhan | to pull; to lead |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | teuhaną | to lead; to pull behind oneself, draw, drag |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dewk- | to pull, to draw; to lead |
via Cantonese 雲吞
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cantonese | 雲吞 | — |