Proto-Indo-European

*kʷís

‘who, what’

Every word has its own definition in its root. These English words share one: Proto-Indo-European *kʷís.

13 English words in this record descend from Proto-Indo-European *kʷís, most familiar first.

• what ← hwæt ← *hwat ← *hwat
• when ← when(ne) ← hwonne ← *hwannē ← *hwan
• how ← hū ← *hwō ← *hwō
• where ← wher ← hwǣr ← *hwār ← *hwar
• why ← hwȳ ← *hwiu ← *hwī ← *kʷey
• ut
• quid ← quis ← *kʷis
• quip ← quippe ← quid ← *kʷid ← *kʷid
• quiddity ← quidite ← quidité ← quidditās ← quid
• quisquis ← quis ← *kʷis
• quiddle ← quid ← *kʷid ← *kʷid
• quisquous ← quisquis ← quis ← *kʷis

More words from *kʷís

• quiscoskos
• quote

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kʷís