Where does “yarrow” come from?

Yarrow derives from Middle English yarowe, from Old English ġearwe, from Proto-Germanic garwō, of uncertain ultimate origin.

yarrow (English): Any of several pungent Eurasian and North...

Definitions

  1. Any of several pungent Eurasian and North...

Ancestry of “yarrow”, step by step

yarrow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English ȝarowe

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishȝaroweyarrow
2Old Englishġearwegear, clothing, attire, arms, armour
3Old Norsegervigear
4Proto-Germanicgarwijanąto prepare
5Proto-Germanicgarwazready, prepared
6Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
9Middle Englishkyt
10Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
11Old High Germankuti
12Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
13Proto-Germanickweduzresin
14Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
15Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

via Welsh garw

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Welshgarwrough, bumpy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet-Every word from Proto-Germanic kweduz