Proto-Indo-European

*terkʷ-

‘to turn, spin’

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

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

• torture ← tortūra ← tortus ← torqueō ← *torkʷeō
• queer ← thwerh ← *þwerh ← *þwerhaz
• torch ← torche ← *torca ← torqua
• torque ← torqueō ← *torkʷeō ← *torkʷejō ← *torkʷ-éye-ti
• tart ← tarte
• torment ← tormentum ← torqueō ← *torkʷeō ← *torkʷejō
• extortion ← extorcion ← extortiō ← extorqueō ← torqueō
• tort ← tortum ← torqueō ← *torkʷeō ← *torkʷejō
• distort ← distortum ← distorqueō ← torqueō ← *torkʷeō
• thwart ← thwerte ← þvert
• retort ← retorte ← retortus ← retorqueō ← torqueō
• torsion ← torcion ← torsiōnem ← tortiō ← torqueō

More words from *terkʷ-

• extort
• tortuous
• torturous
• trowel
• tortious
• contortion
• nasturtium
• athwart
• trullo
• tortfeasor
• torchon
• torse
• abstort
• detort
• detorsion
• intort
• torquated
• tormina
• tortillon
• tortile
• tortive
• torcular
• torcula
• torculus

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ-