Where does “gern” come from?

gern (Old Saxon) comes from Proto-West Germanic gern, from Proto-Germanic gernaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

gern (Old Saxon): eager; willingly

Definitions

  1. eager; willingly

Ancestry of “gern”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanicgerneager, willing
2Proto-Germanicgernazeager, willing
3Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →Every word from Proto-Germanic gernaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic gern →