Where does “raven” come from?

raven (Middle English) comes from Old English hræfn, from Proto-West Germanic hrabn, from Proto-Germanic hrabnaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱorh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-, from Proto-Indo-European ker- — army.

raven (Middle English): to wander; to rave; talk like a madman

Definitions

  1. to wander; to rave; talk like a madman

Ancestry of “raven”, step by step

raven traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English hræfn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhræfnraven
2Proto-West Germanichrabnraven
3Proto-Germanichrabnazraven
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱorh₂-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

via Old French raver

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchraver—
2Old Frenchresverto hallucinate; to be delirious; to wander about
3Frankishhnappcup, bowl, basin; cup, bowl; bowl, cup
4Proto-Germanichnappazbowl; cup

via Old Norse ráfa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseráfawaver, go with staggering gait; to rove; stray...
2Proto-Germanicwabōną—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwebʰ-to weave, braid

Words derived from “raven”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kr̥- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱer- →