Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “tȳfrian” come from?

tȳfrian (Old English) comes from Old English tēafor, from Proto-West Germanic *taubr, from Proto-Germanic taubrą — magic, sorcery.

tȳfrian (Old English): to mark in red or purple, colour; depict, portray

Definitions

  1. to mark in red or purple, colour; depict, portray

Ancestry of “tȳfrian”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishtēaforred, red lead, vermilion, purple; a material used...
2Proto-West Germanic*taubr—
3Proto-Germanictaubrąmagic, sorcery

Words derived from “tȳfrian”

  • teveren
Every word from Proto-Germanic taubrą →