Where does “wer” come from?

wer (Middle High German) comes from Old High German wēr, from Proto-West Germanic hwaʀ, from Proto-Germanic hwaz, from Proto-Indo-European kʷos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷ- — The primary interrogative root.

wer (Middle High German): protection

Definitions

  1. protection

Ancestry of “wer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanwērwhat; who
2Proto-West Germanichwaʀwho
3Proto-Germanichwazwho, what; whose; whom
4Proto-Indo-EuropeankʷosSee *kʷis
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷ-The primary interrogative root

Words derived from “wer”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwaz →