Where does “sorry” come from?

sorry (Yola) comes from Middle English sory, from Old English sāriġ, from Proto-Germanic sairagaz, from Proto-Germanic sairą, from Proto-Germanic sairaz, from Proto-Indo-European seh₂yro-, from Proto-Indo-European seh₂y- — to bind; to be fierce, afflict; to tie, bind.

sorry (Yola): sorrow

Definitions

  1. sorrow

Ancestry of “sorry”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsorysad, sorrowful; pitiful, downtrodden, dismal;...
2Old Englishsāriġfeeling or expressing grief, sorry, grieved,...
3Proto-Germanicsairagazsad; saddened; grieved; sorry
4Proto-Germanicsairąwound; sore
5Proto-Germanicsairazsore, painful
6Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂yro-
7Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂y-to bind; to be fierce, afflict; to tie, bind
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seh₂y-Every word from Proto-Indo-European seh₂yro-Every word from Proto-Germanic sairaz
sorry — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer