Where does “werwulf” come from?

werwulf (Old English) comes from Old English wer, from Proto-Germanic wer, from Proto-Germanic wēraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

werwulf (Old English): werewolf; fiend

Definitions

  1. werewolf; fiend

Ancestry of “werwulf”, step by step

werwulf traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English wer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwerman; husband; hero, warrior
2Proto-Germanicwer—
3Proto-Germanicwēraztrue; reliable; friendly; kind
4Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

via Proto-West Germanic werawulf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanicwerawulfwolf-man, werewolf
2Proto-West Germanicwulfwolf
3Proto-Germanicwulfazwolf
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwĺ̥kʷoswolf
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós →Every word from Proto-Germanic wēraz →