Where does “wire” come from?
Wire comes from Middle English wir, from Old English wīr, from Proto-Germanic wīraz, from Proto-Indo-European weyro-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European weh₁y-.
wire (English): Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now...
Definitions
- Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now...
Ancestry of “wire”, step by step
wire traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English wir
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wir | — |
| 2 | Old English | wīr | wire, metal thread, wire-ornament |
| 3 | English | myrtle | An evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus... |
| 4 | Old French | myrte | — |
| 5 | Latin | myrtus | myrtle |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | μύρτος | myrtle; twig or spray of myrtle |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | μυρίκη | tamarisk |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | -ίκη | — |