Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “wryen” come from?

wryen (Middle English) comes from Old English wrēon, from Proto-West Germanic wrīhan, from Proto-Germanic wrīhaną, from Proto-Indo-European werḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

Ancestry of “wryen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwrēonto cover, clothe, envelop, conceal, hide,...
2Proto-West Germanicwrīhanto plait, pleat; to bind with twine, baste; to...
3Proto-Germanicwrīhanąto wind, turn; to wrap, cover, shroud, envelop
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwerḱ-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →