Where does “whetter” come from?
whetter (English) comes from English whet, from Middle English whetten, from Old English hwettan, from Proto-West Germanic hwattjan, from Proto-Germanic hwatjaną, from Proto-Indo-European kʷeh₁d- — to stab.
whetter (English): Something that whets. Agent noun of whet
Definitions
- Something that whets. Agent noun of whet
Ancestry of “whetter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | whet | To hone or rub on with some substance, as a piece... |
| 2 | Middle English | whetten | To sharpen; to make sharp, pointy or acute,... |
| 3 | Old English | hwettan | to sharpen; to incite, encourage |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | hwattjan | to sharpen, whet |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hwatjaną | to sharpen; whet; to instigate; incite |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷeh₁d- | to stab |