Where does “tear” come from?
tear (Middle English) comes from Old English teagor, from Proto-West Germanic tah(h)r, from Proto-Germanic tahrą, from Proto-Indo-European dáḱru-, from Proto-Indo-European dr̥ḱ-h₂eḱru- — eye bitter.
tear (Middle English): Alternative form of tere
Definitions
- Alternative form of tere
Ancestry of “tear”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | teagor | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | tah(h)r | tear |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | tahrą | tear |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dáḱru- | tears; tear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dr̥ḱ-h₂eḱru- | eye bitter |