Where does “nihtweard” come from?
nihtweard (Old English) comes from Old English weard, from Old English ōra, from Old English ēar, from Proto-Germanic ahaz, from Proto-Finnic ahtas, from Proto-Baltic anśtas, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énǵʰus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enǵʰ- — to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...
nihtweard (Old English): night-guardian
Definitions
- night-guardian
Ancestry of “nihtweard”, step by step
nihtweard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English weard
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | weard | guard; guard, the action of looking out for... |
| 2 | Old English | ōra | ore, unwrought metal |
| 3 | Old English | ēar | sea, ocean; grave, earth |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | ahaz | ear |
| 5 | Proto-Finnic | ahtas | narrow, cramped |
| 6 | Proto-Baltic | anśtas | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énǵʰus | narrow, tight |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enǵʰ- | to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;... |