Etymology Explorer › Proto-West Germanic

Where does “wer” come from?

wer (Proto-West Germanic) comes from Proto-Germanic wēraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

wer (Proto-West Germanic): man

Definitions

  1. man

Ancestry of “wer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicwēraztrue; reliable; friendly; kind
2Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
3Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

Words derived from “wer”

  • werewolf
  • werecat
  • wereman
  • weretiger
  • werebear
  • wereleopard
  • wererat
  • werewolfery
  • werefox
  • werewolfism
  • werebeast
  • wereanimal
  • werecreature
  • werejaguar
  • werewolfish
  • wereghost
  • were-elf
  • weredingo
  • werecrocodile
  • wergeld
  • werekitten
  • werepuppy
  • weredog
  • werelion
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →