Where does “dust” come from?

dust (Middle English) comes from Old English dūst, from Proto-Germanic dunstą, from Proto-Indo-European dʰew- — to die, pass away; to run, flow.

dust (Middle English): dust, powder; dirt, grit; iota, modicum

Definitions

  1. dust, powder; dirt, grit; iota, modicum

Ancestry of “dust”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishdūstdust, dried earth reduced to powder; other dry...
2Proto-Germanicdunstąmist, haze; evaporation; dust
3Proto-Indo-Europeandʰew-to die, pass away; to run, flow

Words derived from “dust”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰew- →Every word from Proto-Germanic dunstą →Every word from Old English dūst →