Where does “dern” come from?
dern (Middle English) comes from Old English dyrne, from Proto-West Germanic darnī, from Middle English derk, from Old English deorc, from Proto-West Germanic derk, from Proto-Germanic derkaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰerg-o-s, from Proto-Indo-European dʰerg- — to support; to hold.
Ancestry of “dern”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | dyrne | Alternative form of dierne |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | darnī | hidden, concealed; secret |
| 3 | Middle English | derk | dark |
| 4 | Old English | deorc | dark |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | derk | dirty; dark |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | derkaz | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰerg-o-s | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰerg- | to dim, darken; dim, dull; dark, dusky |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |
Words derived from “dern”