Where does “whet” come from?
Whet comes from Middle English whetten, from Old English hwettan, from Proto-West Germanic hwattjan, from Proto-Germanic hwatjaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to sharpen or make keen.
whet (English): To hone or rub on with some substance, as a piece...
Definitions
- To hone or rub on with some substance, as a piece...
Ancestry of “whet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | whetten | To sharpen; to make sharp, pointy or acute,... |
| 2 | Old English | hwettan | to sharpen; to incite, encourage |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hwattjan | to sharpen, whet |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hwatjaną | to sharpen; whet; to instigate; incite |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷeh₁d- | to stab |
Words derived from “whet”