Where does “win” come from?
Win comes from Proto-Germanic winnaną, from Proto-Indo-European wen-, ultimately from h₂weh₁-, a root of uncertain original meaning.
win (English): To conquer, defeat; To reach some destination or...
Definitions
- To conquer, defeat; To reach some destination or...
Ancestry of “win”, step by step
win traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English wind
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wind | Real or perceived movement of atmospheric air... |
| 2 | English | farm | A place where agricultural and similar activities... |
| 3 | Middle English | ferme | A lease; the renting of land |
| 4 | Old French | ferme | lease; the land leased; farm |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | ferma | Alternative form of firma |
| 6 | Latin | Firma | tax, tribute |
| 7 | Latin | Firmus | strong, powerful |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | fermos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer-mo-s | holding |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |
via Middle English winnen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | winnen | to exert effort, strive for; to fight against,... |
| 2 | Old English | winnan | to struggle, suffer, contend |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | winnan | to strive, to struggle |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | winnaną | to swink; to labour, toil; to win, gain |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wenh₁- | to love |