Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “wræc” come from?

wræc (Old English) comes from Old English wrecan, from Proto-West Germanic wrekan, from Proto-Germanic wrekaną, from Proto-Indo-European wreǵ- — to work, act.

wræc (Old English): misery, torment; persecution, punishment; exile

Definitions

  1. misery, torment; persecution, punishment; exile

Ancestry of “wræc”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwrecanto take revenge; to avenge a person or a wrong;...
2Proto-West Germanicwrekanto drive out; to persecute
3Proto-Germanicwrekanąto pursue, to drive out
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwreǵ-to work, act

Words derived from “wræc”

  • working
  • network
  • workplace
  • workshop
  • workforce
  • internet
  • networking
  • homework
  • workflow
  • paperwork
  • workload
  • worksheet
  • teamwork
  • workout
  • groundwork
  • workable
  • housework
  • workbook
  • workspace
  • workhouse
  • workstation
  • patchwork
  • hardworking
  • coursework
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wreǵ- →