Where does “ward” come from?
Ward comes from Middle English ward, from Old English weard, from Proto-Germanic wardō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wer-.
ward (English): A warden; a guard; a guardian or watchman;...
Definitions
- A warden; a guard; a guardian or watchman;...
Ancestry of “ward”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ward | ward, keeping |
| 2 | Old English | weard | guard; guard, the action of looking out for... |
| 3 | Old English | ōra | ore, unwrought metal |
| 4 | Old English | ēar | sea, ocean; grave, earth |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | ahaz | ear |
| 6 | Proto-Finnic | ahtas | narrow, cramped |
| 7 | Proto-Baltic | anśtas | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énǵʰus | narrow, tight |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enǵʰ- | to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;... |