Where does “-ware” come from?
-ware (Middle English) comes from Old English -ware, from Proto-West Germanic *-wari, from Proto-Germanic warjaz, from Proto-Germanic warjaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
-ware (Middle English): A suffix denoting inhabitants or residents of a place
Definitions
- A suffix denoting inhabitants or residents of a place
Ancestry of “-ware”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | -ware | suffix denoting inhabitants or residents of a... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *-wari | dweller, inhabitant, citizen |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | warjaz | defender; inhabitant; citizen |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | warjaną | to ward off, to defend against; to thwart, to... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |