Etymograph

English

awake

Awake comes from Middle English awaken ‘to awaken’, from Old English āwacan ‘to wake up’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- ‘to be lively, awake’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵ-‘to be lively, awake’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wakaną‘to wake, be awake, arise’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wakan‘to wake, be awake, arise’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150wacan‘to awake, arise, originate, to be born’
  5. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150āwacan‘to wake up’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500awaken‘to awaken’
  7. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500awake
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1836same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵ-‘to be lively, awake’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wakaną‘to wake, be awake, arise’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wakan‘to wake, be awake, arise’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150wacan‘to awake, arise, originate, to be born’
  5. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150āwacan‘to wake up’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500awaken‘to awaken’
  7. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500awake
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1836same form

Earliest quotation: 1836, – 1837 October, (please specify the chapter name): “‘Sammy,’ whispered Mr. Weller, looking cautiously round; ‘[…] Me…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- ‘to be lively, awake’

wait, surveillance, vegetation, vigorous, vigilant, vigil, vigour, invigorate, reveille, vajra, waken, 9 more

through Proto-Germanic *wakaną ‘to wake, be awake, arise’

waker, 1 more

Another origin of awake

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵ-‘to be lively, awake’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wakaną‘to wake, be awake, arise’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wakan‘to wake, be awake, arise’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150wacan‘to awake, arise, originate, to be born’
  5. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150āwacan‘to wake up’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500awaken
  7. Englishtodayawake

Today it means

adj Not asleep; conscious.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- / awake

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