Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “Wednesday” come from?

Wednesday (Middle English) comes from Old English wōdnesdæġ, from Proto-Germanic *Wōdanas dag, from Latin diēs Mercuriī, from Sanskrit सौम्यवार, from Sanskrit वार, from Sanskrit वर, from Sanskrit वीर, from Proto-Indo-Iranian wīrás — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

Wednesday (Middle English): Wednesday

Definitions

  1. Wednesday

Ancestry of “Wednesday”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old EnglishwōdnesdæġWednesday
2Proto-Germanic*Wōdanas dag—
3Latindiēs Mercuriī—
4Sanskritसौम्यवार—
5SanskritवारAlternative form of वाल; keeping back,...
6Sanskritवर"environing", "enclosing", circumference, space,...
7Sanskritवीरman, especially a brave or eminent man, hero,...
8Proto-Indo-Iranianwīrás—
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
10Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

Words derived from “Wednesday”

  • Wednesday
  • Wednesdayite
  • Ash Wednesday
  • Aschewednysday
  • Wōnje
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →