Where does “wen” come from?
Wen comes from Middle English wen, from Proto-Germanic wunjō, from Proto-Indo-European wenh₁-.
wen (English): A cyst on the skin; a runic letter later replaced...
Definitions
- A cyst on the skin; a runic letter later replaced...
Ancestry of “wen”, step by step
wen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English wynn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | wynn | joy, delight; the runic character ᚹ; the letter... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | wunnju | joy |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wunjō | joy, delight, pleasure, lust; name of the W-rune |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wn̥h₁yeh₂ | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wenh₁- | to love |
via Middle English wen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wen | Alternative form of wayn; Alternative form of... |
| 2 | Old English | wenn | wen |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wanjaz | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wan- | swelling, growth, lump, tumor |