Where does “wāter” come from?
wāter (Middle Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch loo, from Old Dutch lō, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.
wāter (Middle Dutch): water
Definitions
- water
Ancestry of “wāter”, step by step
wāter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle Dutch loo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | loo | sacred wood, forest; forest, thicket |
| 2 | Old Dutch | lō | forest |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |