Where does “woesome” come from?

woesome (English) comes from English some, from Middle English som, from Old English sum, from Proto-West Germanic *sum, from Proto-Germanic sumaz, from Proto-Indo-European sem- — together, one.

woesome (English): Characterised or marked by woe; woeful

Definitions

  1. Characterised or marked by woe; woeful

Ancestry of “woesome”, step by step

woesome traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English some

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsomeA certain number, at least two; An indefinite...
2Middle Englishsomsome
3Old Englishsumsome
4Proto-West Germanic*sumsome
5Proto-Germanicsumazsome (one), a certain (one)
6Proto-Indo-Europeansem-together, one

via English woe

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwoeGreat sadness or distress; a misfortune causing...
2Middle EnglishwoAlternative form of woo
3Old Englishwāwoe
4Proto-West Germanicwaiwoe!, alas!
5Proto-Germanicwaiwoe! alas!
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwaioh!; woe!
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sem- →Every word from Proto-Germanic sumaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *sum →