Where does “wyrdstæf” come from?

wyrdstæf (Old English) comes from Old English wyrd, from Old Persian wurdi, from Proto-Germanic wurdiz, from Proto-Indo-European wrti-, from Proto-Indo-European wert-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

wyrdstæf (Old English): decree of fate

Definitions

  1. decree of fate

Ancestry of “wyrdstæf”, step by step

wyrdstæf traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English wyrd

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwyrdfate, destiny; the Fates; event, occurrence
2Old Persianwurdiflower
3Proto-Germanicwurdizfate, destiny
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwrti-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

via Old English stæf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishstæfstaff; letter, written character
2Proto-West Germanicstabstaff; letter
3Proto-Germanicstabazstaff, stick
4Proto-Indo-Europeanstebʰ-to stand still; to harden
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wert- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wrti- →