Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “pren” come from?

pren (Middle English) comes from Old English prēon, from Proto-Germanic preunaz, from Proto-Indo-European brewn- — protrusion, tip, edge.

pren (Middle English): a preen

Definitions

  1. a preen

Ancestry of “pren”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishprēonpin, brooch needle
2Proto-Germanicpreunazknitting needle; pin
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbrewn-protrusion, tip, edge

Words derived from “pren”

  • preen
  • pern
  • allopreening
  • preener
  • perne
  • allopreen
  • outpreen
  • preen
Every word from Proto-Indo-European brewn- →