Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “ceorfan” come from?

ceorfan (Middle English) comes from Middle English kerven, from Old English ċeorfan, from Proto-West Germanic kerban, from Proto-Germanic kerbaną, from Proto-Indo-European gerbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European ger- — to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...

ceorfan (Middle English): Alternative form of kerven

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of kerven

Ancestry of “ceorfan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishkervenTo cut or stab; to slash as to cause cutting or...
2Old Englishċeorfan—
3Proto-West Germanickerbanto carve, to cut
4Proto-Germanickerbanąto cut
5Proto-Indo-Europeangerbʰ-to carve
6Proto-Indo-Europeanger-to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ger- →