Etymology Explorer › Middle Dutch

Where does “west” come from?

west (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch west, from Proto-Germanic westrą, from Proto-Germanic westraz, from Proto-Indo-European wek(ʷ)speros, from Proto-Indo-European we-.

Ancestry of “west”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchwest—
2Proto-Germanicwestrąwest; west, westward
3Proto-Germanicwestrazwest, western
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwek(ʷ)sperosevening
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwe-—

Words derived from “west”

  • норд-вест
  • зюйд-вест
  • вест
  • westen
  • westkust
  • west
  • noordwesten
  • Westen
  • zuidwesten
  • westelijk
Every word from Proto-Indo-European we- →