Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “watching” come from?

Watching comes from the Old English wæċċan, meaning to be awake or alert, derived from Proto-Germanic wakjaną and Proto-Indo-European weǵ-, meaning to be lively or awake.

watching (English): present participle of watch; The act of one who...

Definitions

  1. present participle of watch; The act of one who...

Ancestry of “watching”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwatchA portable or wearable timepiece; The act of...
2EnglishpuppyA young dog, especially before sexual maturity; A...
3EnglishpuppieObsolete form of puppy
4Middle Frenchpoupéedoll, toy
5Old Frenchpoupée—
6Latinpupagirl, little girl; doll, puppet; pupa
7Latinpupusa boy, a child; a puppet; the pupil of the eye
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂w-few, little; smallness

Words derived from “watching”

  • birdwatching
  • peoplewatching
  • birdwatch
  • girlwatching
  • watchingly
  • バードウォッチング
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂w- →