Etymology Explorer › Proto-Germanic

Where does “was” come from?

was (Proto-Germanic) comes from Proto-Indo-European h₂wes- — to dwell, live, reside; to stay, spend the night.

was (Proto-Germanic): first/third-person singular past active...

Definitions

  1. first/third-person singular past active...

Ancestry of “was”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wes-to dwell, live, reside; to stay, spend the night

Words derived from “was”

  • waist
  • waistcoat
  • wast
  • waistband
  • waistline
  • waisted
  • shirtwaist
  • wasn't
  • wasnae
  • weskit
  • waistcloth
  • waistbelt
  • waistcoated
  • woz
  • waistless
  • waisting
  • waister
  • waistcoatless
  • shirtwaisted
  • waistcoating
  • waistlong
  • unwaisted
  • waistcoateer
  • never-wozzer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂wes- →