Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “derven” come from?

derven (Middle English) comes from Old English deorfan, from Proto-West Germanic derban, from Proto-Germanic derbaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰerHbʰ- — to work, perish, die.

derven (Middle English): To labour; To trouble; grieve; hurt; afflict;...

Definitions

  1. To labour; To trouble; grieve; hurt; afflict;...

Ancestry of “derven”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishdeorfanto labor; to be in peril, perish
2Proto-West Germanicderbanto labor; to perish
3Proto-Germanicderbanąto work; to perish
4Proto-Indo-EuropeandʰerHbʰ-to work, perish, die
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰerHbʰ- →