Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “watch” come from?

Watch comes from Middle English wacche, from Old English wæċċe and wæċċan, from Proto-Germanic wakjaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European weǵ-.

watch (English): A portable or wearable timepiece; The act of...

Definitions

  1. A portable or wearable timepiece; The act of...

Ancestry of “watch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpuppyA young dog, especially before sexual maturity; A...
2EnglishpuppieObsolete form of puppy
3Middle Frenchpoupéedoll, toy
4Old Frenchpoupée—
5Latinpupagirl, little girl; doll, puppet; pupa
6Latinpupusa boy, a child; a puppet; the pupil of the eye
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂w-few, little; smallness

Words derived from “watch”

  • watching
  • watchdog
  • wristwatch
  • watchmaker
  • stopwatch
  • watchtower
  • birdwatching
  • watchmaking
  • watcheth
  • overwatch
  • watchlist
  • watchchain
  • deathwatch
  • watchable
  • watchband
  • watchhouse
  • watchfire
  • watchest
  • dogwatch
  • unwatchable
  • watchcase
  • watcht
  • watchspring
  • watchkeeping
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂w- →