Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “-tūn” come from?

-tūn (Old English) comes from Old English tūn, from Proto-West Germanic tūn, from Proto-Germanic tūną, from Gaulish dunum, from Proto-Celtic dūnom, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.

Ancestry of “-tūn”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishtūnenclosure, yard; place; dwelling
2Proto-West Germanictūnfence
3Proto-Germanictūnąfence; enclosure
4Gaulishdunumfort; hill, hillfort
5Proto-Celticdūnomstronghold, rampart
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “-tūn”

  • Princeton
  • Burlington
  • simpleton
  • Waddington
  • Edgerton
  • singleton
  • Warrenton
  • Bruton
  • Angleton
  • Carrollton
  • Fredericton
  • Irvington
  • Riverton
  • Beaverton
  • Ballston
  • Ironton
  • Flemington
  • Elkton
  • Bradenton
  • Lumberton
  • Alberton
  • Yorkton
  • Princetonian
  • Tifton
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →