Where does “torn” come from?
torn (Old French) comes from Old French tour, from Old French torner, from Latin tornō, from Latin tornus, from Ancient Greek τόρνος, from Proto-Indo-European torh₂no-, from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- — to rub, turn; to drill, pierce.
Ancestry of “torn”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | tour | tower |
| 2 | Old French | torner | to turn; to return; to go back |
| 3 | Latin | tornō | to turn |
| 4 | Latin | tornus | A turner's wheel, lathe; A potter's wheel |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | τόρνος | A tool similar to a pair of compasses used to... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | torh₂no- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | terh₁- | to rub, turn; to drill, pierce |