Where does “wastewater” come from?

Wastewater comes from English water closet and English water, both from Old English wæter, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wed- meaning "water."

wastewater (English): Any water that has been used in some human...

Definitions

  1. Any water that has been used in some human...

Ancestry of “wastewater”, step by step

wastewater traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English water

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwaterA substance found at room temperature and...
2Middle Englishwaterwater; water vapour, condensation; lake, pond,...
3Old Englishwæterwater
4Proto-West Germanicwatarwater
5Proto-Germanicwatōrwater
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwódr̥water
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwed-water
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

via English waste

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwasteExcess of material, useless by-products or...
2Middle Englishwastento waste, lay waste
3Old Northern Frenchwasterto waste, devastate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wed- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wódr̥ →