Where does “know” come from?

know (Middle English) comes from Middle English kne, from Old English cnēo, from Proto-West Germanic kneu, from Proto-Germanic knewą, from Proto-Indo-European ǵnéwo-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵónu — knee.

know (Middle English): Alternative form of kne

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of kne

Ancestry of “know”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishkneknee
2Old Englishcnēogeneration
3Proto-West Germanickneuknee
4Proto-Germanicknewąknee
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵnéwo-knee
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵónuknee
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵónu →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵnéwo- →Every word from Proto-Germanic knewą →