Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “won” come from?

Won derives from English win, which continues Proto-Indo-European wenh₁-, ultimately traced to Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to desire or strive.

won (English): simple past tense and past participle of win; To...

Definitions

  1. simple past tense and past participle of win; To...

Ancestry of “won”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Korean원won; the official currency of South Korea, sign =...
2EnglishOne—
3Middle Englishonon, in; on; Alternative form of oon
4Old Englishonon, in, at, among; from
5Proto-West Germanicanaon
6Proto-Germanic*an—
7Proto-Germanicanaon, at; on, onto; ana
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “won”

  • unwon
  • electrowon
  • wonnest
  • wonstead
  • uôn
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →