Where does “great” come from?

great (Scots) comes from Old English grēat, from Proto-West Germanic graut, from Proto-Germanic grautaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

great (Scots): great; coarse; thick, bulky, roomy

Definitions

  1. great; coarse; thick, bulky, roomy

Ancestry of “great”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishgrēatgreat, large; big, thick, coarse, massive
2Proto-West Germanicgraut—
3Proto-Germanicgrautazcoarse, crude; big, large
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →Every word from Proto-Germanic grautaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic graut →