Where does “white” come from?
White comes from Middle English whit, Old English hwīt, Proto-Germanic hwītaz, and Proto-Indo-European ḱweytos, meaning bright or shining.
white (English): Bright and colourless; reflecting equal...
Definitions
- Bright and colourless; reflecting equal...
Ancestry of “white”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | whit | white, pale, light; wearing white clothes; having... |
| 2 | Old English | hwīt | white |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hwīt | white |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hwītaz | white |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱweytos | bright; shine; shine; bright |
Words derived from “white”