Where does “Westmynster” come from?
Westmynster (Old English) comes from Old English west, from Proto-West Germanic *westr, from Proto-Germanic westrą, from Proto-Germanic westraz, from Proto-Indo-European wek(ʷ)speros, from Proto-Indo-European we-.
Ancestry of “Westmynster”, step by step
Westmynster traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English west
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | west | west |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *westr | western, westernly |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | westrą | west; west, westward |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | westraz | west, western |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wek(ʷ)speros | evening |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | we- | — |
via Old English mynster
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | mynster | monastery, nunnery, mother church, cathedral |
| 2 | Latin | monastērium | monastery |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | μοναστήριον | solitary dwelling, hermit's cell; monastery |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μόνος | alone, forsaken, solitary; only; unique |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | σπέρμα | seed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | *spérmə | — |