Where does “world” come from?

world (Middle English) comes from Old English weorold, from Proto-West Germanic weraldi, from Proto-Germanic weraldiz, from Proto-Germanic weraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

world (Middle English): The world, the planet; A dimension, realm, or...

Definitions

  1. The world, the planet; A dimension, realm, or...

Ancestry of “world”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishweoroldworld
2Proto-West Germanicweraldiworld
3Proto-Germanicweraldizlifetime, worldly existence; mankind; world
4Proto-Germanicwerazman; husband
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

Words derived from “world”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós →Every word from Proto-Germanic weraz →
world — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer