Where does “worse” come from?

worse (Middle English) comes from Old English wiersa, from Proto-Germanic wirsizô, from Proto-Indo-European wers-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

worse (Middle English): Something or someone which is more yvel or ille (i.e. worse)

Definitions

  1. Something or someone which is more yvel or ille (i.e. worse)

Ancestry of “worse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwiersacomparative degree of yfel: worse
2Proto-Germanicwirsizôcomparative degree of *ubilaz; worse
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwers-to wipe; peak, height
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “worse”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wers- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wirsizô →
worse — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer