Where does “wer” come from?

wer (German) comes from Middle High German wer, from Old High German wēr, from Proto-West Germanic hwaʀ, from Proto-Germanic hwaz, from Proto-Indo-European kʷos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷ- — The primary interrogative root.

wer (German): who; what, which; whoever, he who, someone who,...

Definitions

  1. who; what, which; whoever, he who, someone who,...

Ancestry of “wer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanwerprotection
2Old High Germanwērwhat; who
3Proto-West Germanichwaʀwho
4Proto-Germanichwazwho, what; whose; whom
5Proto-Indo-EuropeankʷosSee *kʷis
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷ-The primary interrogative root

Words derived from “wer”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwaz →
wer — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer