Where does “wat” come from?
wat (Middle Low German) comes from Old Saxon hwat, from Proto-West Germanic hwat, from Proto-Germanic hwat, from Proto-Indo-European kʷód, from Proto-Indo-European kʷós — who.
wat (Middle Low German): what
Definitions
- what
Ancestry of “wat”, step by step
wat traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Old Saxon hwat
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Saxon | hwat | what; lo!, what!, indeed! |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | hwat | what |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hwat | nominative/accusative singular neuter of *hwaz |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷód | what |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷós | who |
via Proto-Germanic wadą
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-Germanic | wadą | shallow water, ford |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-European | weh₂dʰ- | to go, to proceed; to pass, to traverse |
via Old Saxon wat
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Saxon | wat | — |