Where does “what” come from?

what (Yola) comes from Middle English whetten, from Old English hwettan, from Proto-West Germanic hwattjan, from Proto-Germanic hwatjaną, from Proto-Indo-European kʷeh₁d- — to stab.

what (Yola): to whet

Definitions

  1. to whet

Ancestry of “what”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishwhettenTo sharpen; to make sharp, pointy or acute,...
2Old Englishhwettanto sharpen; to incite, encourage
3Proto-West Germanichwattjanto sharpen, whet
4Proto-Germanichwatjanąto sharpen; whet; to instigate; incite
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷeh₁d-to stab
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷeh₁d- →