Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “veir” come from?

veir (Middle English) comes from Old French vair, from Latin varius, from Latin vārus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wer-, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

veir (Middle English): vair; vair clothing

Definitions

  1. vair; vair clothing

Ancestry of “veir”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchvairchangeable; that may change; multi-colored;...
2Latinvariusdiverse, different, various, variegated
3Latinvārus—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wer-to lift up; to moisten; to flow; to raise, hang
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “veir”

  • vair
  • countervair
  • veire
  • voir
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →