Where does “ys” come from?

ys (Middle English) comes from Middle English is, from Old English īs, from Proto-West Germanic īs, from Proto-Germanic īsą, from Proto-Indo-European h₁eyH- — ice, frost.

ys (Middle English): Alternative form of his; Alternative form of heo;...

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of his; Alternative form of heo;...

Ancestry of “ys”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishisice; That which is short-lived like ice; icy...
2Old Englishīsice
3Proto-West Germanicīsice
4Proto-Germanicīsąice
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁eyH-ice, frost
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁eyH- →Every word from Proto-Germanic īsą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic īs →