Where does “wricken” come from?
wricken (Middle English) comes from Middle Low German wricken, from Proto-Germanic wrigōną, from Proto-Indo-European wreyḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
Ancestry of “wricken”, step by step
wricken traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle Low German wricken
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Low German | wricken | to move jerkily; sprain |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | wrigōną | to wriggle |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | wreyḱ- | to twist; to bend |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |
via Middle Dutch verwricken
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | verwricken | — |