Where does “wryneck” come from?
wryneck (English) comes from English wry, from Middle English wrien, from Old English wrīġian, from Proto-Germanic wrigōną, from Proto-Indo-European wreyḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
wryneck (English): Either of two small woodpeckers, "Jynx torquilla"...
Definitions
- Either of two small woodpeckers, "Jynx torquilla"...
Ancestry of “wryneck”, step by step
wryneck traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wry
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wry | Turned away, contorted; Dryly humorous; sardonic... |
| 2 | Middle English | wrien | to cover |
| 3 | Old English | wrīġian | to go, turn, twist, bend, strive, struggle, press... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wrigōną | to wriggle |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wreyḱ- | to twist; to bend |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |
via English neck
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | neck | The part of the body connecting the head and the... |
| 2 | Middle English | nekke | neck |
| 3 | Old English | hnecca | back of the neck; back of the head; neck |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *hnakkō | nape |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hnakkô | the back of the neck; nape |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | knog- | back of the head, nape, neck |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ken- | to arise, begin |