Where does “wreathe” come from?
Wreathe comes from English wreath with the Old English verbal suffix -en, itself from Proto-Germanic jainaz meaning "to turn," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots en and i-.
wreathe (English): To twist, curl or entwine something into a shape...
Definitions
- To twist, curl or entwine something into a shape...
Ancestry of “wreathe”, step by step
wreathe traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English wrethen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wrethen | To rage; to be or become angry |
| 2 | Middle English | writhen | To form or make into a curve or bend; to make... |
| 3 | Old English | wrīþan | to twist |
| 4 | Old English | wriþan | to twist; to bewrap; to bind |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wrīþan | to weave, to twist |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wrīþaną | to weave, to twist |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wreyt- | to twist |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |