Where does “thing” come from?

thing (Old Saxon) comes from Proto-West Germanic þing, from Proto-Germanic þingą, from Proto-Indo-European tenkó-, from Proto-Indo-European tenk- — to be solid, firm; to be suitable; to succeed,...

thing (Old Saxon): thing, object; matter, case

Definitions

  1. thing, object; matter, case

Ancestry of “thing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanicþingcourt session, lawsuit; affair, matter; thing,...
2Proto-Germanicþingąappointed time; date; appointment; meeting;...
3Proto-Indo-Europeantenkó-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeantenk-to be solid, firm; to be suitable; to succeed,...

Words derived from “thing”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European tenk- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European tenkó- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þingą →