Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “weinen” come from?

weinen (Middle High German) comes from Old High German weinon, from Proto-Germanic wainōną, from Proto-Indo-European wáy, from Proto-Indo-European uwáy — to see oneself.

Ancestry of “weinen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanweinonto lament; to weep
2Proto-Germanicwainōnąto cry, to lament, to grieve
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwáyoh!; ah!; woe!
4Proto-Indo-Europeanuwáyto see oneself

Words derived from “weinen”

  • weinerlich
  • weinen
Every word from Proto-Indo-European uwáy →