Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “hrēowan” come from?

hrēowan (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic hreuwan, from Proto-Germanic hrewwaną, from Proto-Indo-European krew- — to fall, collapse; scab; to fall, break, bruise.

hrēowan (Old English): to rue; make sorry; grieve

Definitions

  1. to rue; make sorry; grieve

Ancestry of “hrēowan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanichreuwanto cause pain, regret
2Proto-Germanichrewwanąto grieve, to feel sorrow; to cause regret, to...
3Proto-Indo-Europeankrew-to fall, collapse; scab; to fall, break, bruise

Words derived from “hrēowan”

  • rewen
  • ruwen
  • ruen
Every word from Proto-Indo-European krew- →