Where does “guerre” come from?
guerre (Old French) comes from Late Latin werra, from Frankish *werʀu, from Proto-Indo-European wers-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
guerre (Old French): war; Alternative form of gaire
Definitions
- war; Alternative form of gaire
Ancestry of “guerre”, step by step
guerre traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Late Latin werra
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | werra | — |
| 2 | Frankish | *werʀu | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | wers- | to wipe; peak, height |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |
via Medieval Latin werra
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | werra | war, conflict; Alternative form of guerra |