Where does “were-elf” come from?
were-elf (English) comes from English were, 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 — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.
were-elf (English): A shapeshifter who can assume the form of an elf
Definitions
- A shapeshifter who can assume the form of an elf
Ancestry of “were-elf”, step by step
were-elf traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English were
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | were | second-person singular simple past indicative of... |
| 2 | English | werewolf | A person who is transformed or can transform into... |
| 3 | Middle English | werwolf | — |
| 4 | Old English | werewulf | werewolf |
| 5 | Old English | wer | man; husband; hero, warrior |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wer | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | wēraz | true; reliable; friendly; kind |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wiHrós | man; husband; warrior, hero |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | weyh₁- | to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute |