Where does “tere” come from?

tere (Middle English) comes from Old English tēar, from Proto-West Germanic tah(h)r, from Proto-Germanic tahrą, from Proto-Indo-European dáḱru-, from Proto-Indo-European dr̥ḱ-h₂eḱru- — eye bitter.

tere (Middle English): A tear; an emission of liquid emanating from the...

Definitions

  1. A tear; an emission of liquid emanating from the...

Ancestry of “tere”, step by step

tere traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English tēar

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishtēartear (drop of liquid from the tear duct)
2Proto-West Germanictah(h)rtear
3Proto-Germanictahrątear
4Proto-Indo-Europeandáḱru-tears; tear
5Proto-Indo-Europeandr̥ḱ-h₂eḱru-eye bitter

via Old English tǣr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishtǣr

via Old English tæhher

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishtæhher

Words derived from “tere

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dr̥ḱ-h₂eḱru-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dáḱru-Every word from Proto-Germanic tahrą