Where does “greve” come from?
greve (Middle English) comes from Old French greve, from Latin gravis, from Proto-Indo-European gʷréh₂us, from Proto-Indo-European -us — Forms adjectives from Caland system roots.
greve (Middle English): thicket, copse, bush; shrubbery, undergrowth
Definitions
- thicket, copse, bush; shrubbery, undergrowth
Ancestry of “greve”, step by step
greve traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French greve
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | greve | greave; terrible, dreadful; shin |
| 2 | Latin | gravis | heavy; troublesome, hard; grave, serious |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷréh₂us | heavy |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | -us | Forms adjectives from Caland system roots |
via Old Norse greifi
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | greifi | a count, earl, steward |
| 2 | Middle Low German | grēve | — |
| 3 | Old High German | grāvio | count, local judge |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | garāfijō | count; earl; reeve, bailiff |
via Old English grǣfe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | grǣfe | brushwood; thicket; copse |