Where does “gretan” come from?
gretan (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic grōtijan, from Proto-Germanic grōtijaną, from Proto-Germanic grētaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēw-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.
Ancestry of “gretan”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-West Germanic | grōtijan | to address, to greet |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | grōtijaną | to cause to weep; make cry; to scold; to address |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | grētaną | to weep, to cry |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēw- | to grind, rub |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰer- | to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines |
Words derived from “gretan”