Where does “murder” come from?
murder (Middle English) comes from Middle English murthre, from Old English morþor, from Proto-Germanic murþrą, from Proto-Indo-European mrtro-, from Proto-Indo-European mer- — to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland.
Ancestry of “murder”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | murthre | murder |
| 2 | Old English | morþor | murder; great sin or crime, enormity |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | murþrą | murder |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | mrtro- | murder, death; killing |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mer- | to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland |
Words derived from “murder”