Where does “wart” come from?
wart (Middle High German) comes from Old High German wart, from Proto-West Germanic *ward, from Proto-Germanic wardaz, from Proto-Germanic werþaz, from Proto-Indo-European wert-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
Ancestry of “wart”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | wart | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *ward | guard, guardian |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wardaz | turned; turned toward; facing; Alternative form... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | werþaz | worthy, valuable |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wert- | to turn, to rotate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |