Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “yern” come from?

yern (Middle English) comes from Old English ġeorn, from Proto-West Germanic gern, from Proto-Germanic gernaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

yern (Middle English): willing, eager; to coagulate or curdle

Definitions

  1. willing, eager; to coagulate or curdle

Ancestry of “yern”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishġeorneager
2Proto-West Germanicgerneager, willing
3Proto-Germanicgernazeager, willing
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines

Words derived from “yern”

  • yern
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →