Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wrong” come from?

Wrong derives from Middle English wrong, from Old English wrang, from Old Norse rangr, from Proto-Germanic wrangaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wer-.

wrong (English): Incorrect or untrue; Asserting something...

Definitions

  1. Incorrect or untrue; Asserting something...

Ancestry of “wrong”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishwrongA wrong, injustice; A wrong, evil, wrongdoing,...
2Old Englishwrangwrong, injustice; rough, uneven
3Old Norserangrunjust
4Old Norsewrangr—
5Proto-Germanicwrangaztwisted, warped, bent, crooked, wry; wretched,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwerḱ-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “wrong”

  • wrongly
  • wrongdoing
  • wrongdoer
  • wrongheaded
  • wrongheadedness
  • wronger
  • wrongest
  • wrongheadedly
  • awrong
  • wrongfoot
  • wrongminded
  • wronghead
  • alwrong
  • wrongish
  • wrongless
  • unwrong
  • wrongsome
  • wrong-headedly
  • wrongdo
  • dirtybadwrong
  • wrongtake
  • wrong-minded
  • wither-wrung
  • wrongmindedness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →