Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “worn” come from?

Worn derives from Old English wornian, from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH-, a root meaning to grow or become, which gave rise to the sense of clothing becoming integrated with the body through use.

worn (English): damaged and shabby as a result of much use; past...

Definitions

  1. damaged and shabby as a result of much use; past...

Ancestry of “worn”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwearTo carry or have equipped on or about one's body,...
2Middle Englishwerien—
3Old Englishwyrġan—
4Proto-Germanicwurgijanąto strangle
5Proto-Germanicwargazoutlaw, criminal; wolf
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵʰ-bind, squeeze; to bind, squeeze; to turn, twist,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “worn”

  • careworn
  • unworn
  • timeworn
  • wayworn
  • shopworn
  • weatherworn
  • waterworn
  • overworn
  • toilworn
  • warworn
  • travelworn
  • workworn
  • footworn
  • seaworn
  • wornness
  • roadworn
  • bodyworn
  • inworn
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →