Where does “drove” come from?
drove (Middle English) comes from Old English drāf, from Proto-Germanic draibō, from Proto-Germanic drībaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.
drove (Middle English): Alternative form of drof
Ancestry of “drove”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | drāf | action of driving; a driving out, expulsion;... |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | draibō | a drive, push, move; that which is driven; a... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | drībaną | to drive, push, compel to go |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰreybʰ- | to drive, push |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |
Words derived from “drove”