Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “whin” come from?

Whin derives from Middle English whynne, from Old Norse hvein, from Proto-Germanic hwainō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱʷeyn-, of uncertain ultimate meaning.

whin (English): Gorse; furze; The plant woad-waxen; Whinstone

Definitions

  1. Gorse; furze; The plant woad-waxen; Whinstone

Ancestry of “whin”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishwhynneGorse or a similar plant
2Old Norsehveinswampy land; gorse, furze; swamp, marsh
3Proto-Germanichwainō—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱweyn-to make dirty, soil; filth; mud; to soil; mud;...

Words derived from “whin”

  • whinchat
  • whinberry
  • whinmill
  • pettywhin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱweyn- →