Where does “wyrm” come from?

wyrm (Old English) comes from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.

wyrm (Old English): creeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,...

Definitions

  1. creeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,...

Ancestry of “wyrm”, step by step

wyrm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English lēah

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlēahmeadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,...
2Proto-West Germaniclauhclearing; meadow
3Proto-Germaniclauhazclearing; meadow
4Proto-Indo-Europeanlówkosclearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

via Proto-West Germanic wurmi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanicwurmiworm; serpent, snake
2Proto-Germanicwurmizworm; serpent, snake
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwr̥misworm
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “wyrm

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lówkos