Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “wrek” come from?

wrek (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman wrek, from Old Norse wrek, from Proto-Germanic wrekaną, from Proto-Indo-European wreǵ- — to work, act.

Ancestry of “wrek”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normanwrekshipwreck
2Old Norsewrek—
3Proto-Germanicwrekanąto pursue, to drive out
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwreǵ-to work, act

Words derived from “wrek”

  • wreck
  • wreckage
  • wrecking
  • wrecker
  • wreckless
  • wreckful
  • wreckfish
  • homewrecking
  • wreckmaster
  • wrecketh
  • unwreckable
  • wreckable
  • wrecky
  • shipwrecker
  • wrecksome
  • wreckish
  • wreck havoc
  • home wrecker
  • bewreck
  • wreckest
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wreǵ- →