Where does “writing system” come from?
writing system (English) comes from English writing, from Middle English writing, from Old English wrīting, from Old English wrītan, from Proto-West Germanic wrītan, from Proto-Germanic wrītaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
writing system (English): A system for writing one or more languages; a...
Definitions
- A system for writing one or more languages; a...
Ancestry of “writing system”, step by step
writing system traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English writing
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | writing | Graphism of symbols such as letters that express... |
| 2 | Middle English | writing | — |
| 3 | Old English | wrīting | writing |
| 4 | Old English | wrītan | to incise, engrave; to scratch, carve, write; to... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wrītan | to scratch, to carve |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wrītaną | to scratch, carve; to engrave, inscribe, write |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |
via English system
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | system | A collection of organized things; a whole... |
| 2 | Late Latin | systema | harmony; musical scale; set of celestial objects;... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | σύστημα | a whole made of several parts or members, system;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -μᾰ | "suffix forming a noun denoting the result of an... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -mn̥ | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs |