Where does “weinen” come from?
weinen (German) comes from Middle High German weinen, from Old High German weinon, from Proto-Germanic wainōną, from Proto-Indo-European wáy, from Proto-Indo-European uwáy — to see oneself.
weinen (German): to weep, cry
Ancestry of “weinen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | weinen | — |
| 2 | Old High German | weinon | to lament; to weep |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wainōną | to cry, to lament, to grieve |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wáy | oh!; ah!; woe! |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | uwáy | to see oneself |
Words derived from “weinen”