Where does “wrestling” come from?

Wrestling derives from Middle English wrestlen, from Old English wræstlian, a verb of uncertain ultimate origin.

wrestling (English): present participle of wrestle; A sport where two...

Definitions

  1. present participle of wrestle; A sport where two...

Ancestry of “wrestling”, step by step

wrestling traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English wrestle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwrestleA wrestling bout; A struggle; To contend, with an...
2Middle Englishwrestlen—
3Old Englishwræstlianto wrestle
4Old Englishwrǣstanto twist forcibly, wrench
5Proto-Germanicwraistijanąto wrest, to twist, to turn
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwreyt-to twist
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

via Old English wræstlunge

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwræstlunge—

Words derived from “wrestling”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wreyt- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wraistijaną →