Where does “were-” come from?
were- (English) comes from English werewolf, from Middle English werwolf, from Old English werewulf, from Old English wer, from Proto-Germanic wer, from Proto-Germanic wēraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.
were- (English): man; most commonly used with animal names to...
Definitions
- man; most commonly used with animal names to...
Ancestry of “were-”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | werewolf | A person who is transformed or can transform into... |
| 2 | Middle English | werwolf | — |
| 3 | Old English | werewulf | werewolf |
| 4 | Old English | wer | man; husband; hero, warrior |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wer | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wēraz | true; reliable; friendly; kind |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wiHrós | man; husband; warrior, hero |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | weyh₁- | to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute |