Where does “dreen” come from?
dreen (Middle English) comes from Middle Dutch drone, from Old Dutch drān, from Proto-West Germanic drānu, from Proto-Germanic drēnuz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰreh₁n-.
Ancestry of “dreen”, step by step
dreen traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle Dutch drone
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | drone | bee drone |
| 2 | Old Dutch | drān | to emit an odour |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | drānu | drone, male bee |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | drēnuz | male bee or wasp; drone |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | *dʰreh₁n- | — |
via Old English drēogan
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | drēogan | to serve in the military, endure; to perform |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | dreugan | to mislead, to deceive; to serve, to be a... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | dreuganą | to mislead, to deceive; to serve, to be a... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰrewgʰ- | to deceive, to mislead; to serve one's tribe;... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |