Where does “wash” come from?
Wash comes from Middle English washen, from Old English wascan, from Proto-Germanic waskaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wey-.
wash (English): To clean with water; To move or erode by the...
Definitions
- To clean with water; To move or erode by the...
Ancestry of “wash”, step by step
wash traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English washen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | washen | — |
| 2 | Old English | wasċan | to wash |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | waskan | to wash |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | waskaną | to wash |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | watskaną | to wash, get wet |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wed- | water |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |
via English Washington
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Washington | a U.S. one-dollar bill, which features a portrait... |
via Middle English wasshen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wasshen | To wash; to clean with liquid |