Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wer” come from?

Wer derives from Old English wer, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, which traces back through h₂wes- and wes- to a Proto-Indo-European root wer-.

wer (English): A man; Wergeld

Definitions

  1. A man; Wergeld

Ancestry of “wer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwera man, a husband; Alternative form of were;...
2Old Englishwerman; husband; hero, warrior
3Proto-Germanicwer—
4Proto-Germanicwēraztrue; reliable; friendly; kind
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →