Where does “writhe” come from?
Writhe comes from Middle English writhen, Old English wrīþan, Proto-West Germanic wrīþan, Proto-Germanic wrīþaną, and Proto-Indo-European wreyt-, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root wer- meaning to turn or bend.
writhe (English): To twist, to wring; To contort; To twist or...
Definitions
- To twist, to wring; To contort; To twist or...
Ancestry of “writhe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | writhen | To form or make into a curve or bend; to make... |
| 2 | Old English | wrīþan | to twist |
| 3 | Old English | wriþan | to twist; to bewrap; to bind |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | wrīþan | to weave, to twist |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wrīþaną | to weave, to twist |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wreyt- | to twist |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |