Where does “western” come from?
Western derives from Old English westerne, from Proto-Germanic westrōnijaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wek(ʷ)speros, meaning evening or the direction of sunset.
western (English): Of, facing, situated in, or related to the west;...
Definitions
- Of, facing, situated in, or related to the west;...
Ancestry of “western”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | westerne | western |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | westrōnijaz | western |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | westraz | west, western |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wek(ʷ)speros | evening |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | we- | — |