Where does “ten” come from?

ten (Middle English) comes from Old English tēon, from Old English tēohan, from Proto-West Germanic teuhan, from Proto-Germanic teuhaną, from Proto-Indo-European dewk- — to pull, to draw; to lead.

ten (Middle English): ten; plural of tothe

Definitions

  1. ten; plural of tothe

Ancestry of “ten”, step by step

ten traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English tēon

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishtēonto drag, draw, pull; to train, discipline; to...
2Old Englishtēohan—
3Proto-West Germanicteuhanto pull; to lead
4Proto-Germanicteuhanąto lead; to pull behind oneself, draw, drag
5Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead

via Old Norse tǫnn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsetǫnntooth
2Proto-Germanictanþstooth
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃dóntstooth
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ed-to eat

Words derived from “ten”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic teuhaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic teuhan →