Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “todrifan” come from?

todrifan (Old English) comes from Old English drīfan, from Proto-West Germanic drīban, from Proto-Germanic drībaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

todrifan (Old English): to drive apart, scatter, dispel

Definitions

  1. to drive apart, scatter, dispel

Ancestry of “todrifan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishdrīfanto drive, force, move, chase, hunt, follow up,...
2Proto-West Germanicdrībanto drive, to push, to compel to go
3Proto-Germanicdrībanąto drive, push, compel to go
4Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →