Where does “witherling” come from?
witherling (English) comes from English wither, from Middle English wither, from Old English wiþer, from Proto-West Germanic wiþr, from Proto-Germanic wiþrą, from Proto-Indo-European wī-tero-, from Proto-Indo-European wi — apart, asunder; away from, against.
witherling (English): An opponent, enemy, or adversary; One who or that...
Definitions
- An opponent, enemy, or adversary; One who or that...
Ancestry of “witherling”, step by step
witherling traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English wither
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wither | To shrivel, droop or dry up, especially from lack... |
| 2 | Middle English | wither | — |
| 3 | Old English | wiþer | toward, against; again, against; against, in... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | wiþr | toward, against |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wiþrą | toward, against |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wī-tero- | further apart |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wi | apart, asunder; away from, against |
via English Ling
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ling | Any of various codlike saltwater fish often used as food by humans, those of the genus Molva, in the family Lotidae |
| 2 | Middle English | ling | Any of various varieties of heather or broom |
| 3 | Old Norse | lyng | heather, ling |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lingwą | heather, ling |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lengʷʰom | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lengʷʰ- | light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,... |