Where does “was” come from?
was (Scots) comes from Scots wa, from Middle English wal, from Old English weall, from Proto-Germanic wallaz, from Latin vallum, from Proto-Indo-European wēl- — to see, perceive.
was (Scots): plural of wa
Definitions
- plural of wa
Ancestry of “was”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scots | wa | wall; to wall |
| 2 | Middle English | wal | death, slaughter; Alternative form of wale;... |
| 3 | Old English | weall | wall; fervour; uproar; boiled or mulled wine |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wallaz | well, spring; wall, rampart, entrenchment |
| 5 | Latin | vallum | wall, rampart, entrenchment |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wēl- | to see, perceive |