Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wrist” come from?

Wrist comes from Old English wrist, from Proto-Germanic wristuz, from Proto-Indo-European wrey-, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root wer-.

wrist (English): The complex joint between forearm bones, carpus,...

Definitions

  1. The complex joint between forearm bones, carpus,...

Ancestry of “wrist”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwristwrist; The joint at the ankle
2Old Englishwristwrist
3Proto-Germanicwristuzjoint
4Proto-Germanicwrīþanąto weave, to twist
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwreyt-to twist
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “wrist”

  • wristwatch
  • wristband
  • wristed
  • wristlock
  • wristy
  • wrister
  • wristbone
  • wristguard
  • wristless
  • wristwork
  • wriststrap
  • wristwear
  • wristiness
  • wristphone
  • limpwrist
  • wristily
  • wristwarmer
  • wristpad
  • wristbanded
  • limp-wrist
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →