Where does “what” come from?
What comes from Old English hwæt, from Proto-Germanic hwat, from Proto-Indo-European kʷód or kʷós, both derived from the Proto-Indo-European root kʷ-.
what (English): Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used...
Definitions
- Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used...
Ancestry of “what”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | what | what |
| 2 | Old English | hwæt | what; why; how many or how much |
| 3 | Old English | -ing | Forming nouns from verbs, indicating action,... |
| 4 | Old English | -tūn | homestead, village, town |
| 5 | Old English | tūn | enclosure, yard; place; dwelling |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | tūn | fence |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | tūną | fence; enclosure |
| 8 | Gaulish | dunum | fort; hill, hillfort |
| 9 | Proto-Celtic | dūnom | stronghold, rampart |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |