Where does “wrest” come from?
wrest (Middle English) comes from Middle English wrist, from Old English wrist, from Proto-Germanic wristuz, from Proto-Germanic wrīþaną, from Proto-Indo-European wreyt-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
wrest (Middle English): Alternative form of wrist
Definitions
- Alternative form of wrist
Ancestry of “wrest”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wrist | wrist; The joint at the ankle |
| 2 | Old English | wrist | wrist |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wristuz | joint |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wrīþaną | to weave, to twist |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wreyt- | to twist |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |