Where does “worm” come from?
Worm comes from Middle English wurm, from Old English wyrm, from Proto-Indo-European wr̥mis, ultimately derived from the root wer- meaning to turn or bend.
worm (English): A generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid...
Definitions
- A generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid...
Ancestry of “worm”, step by step
worm traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English wurm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wurm | Alternative form of worm |
| 2 | Middle English | worm | A worm or similar small wormlike animal that... |
| 3 | Old English | wyrm | creeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,... |
| 4 | Old English | lēah | meadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |
via Middle English werm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | werm | Alternative form of worm |
| 2 | Old English | wearm | warm |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | warm | warm |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | warmaz | warm |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰer- | warm, hot |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰe-gʷʰór-e ~ gʷʰe-gʷʰr-ḗr | — |
via Middle English wirm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wirm | Alternative form of worm |