English

gainward

Gainward comes from Middle English agaynward.

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

Formed from gain + ward

Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm ‘next to’

…

Proto-Germanic *gagana ‘back’

Proto-Germanic *gagną

Old Norse gagn ‘benefit’

Middle English gayn ‘profit’

English gain

Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to cover’

…

Proto-Germanic *wardō ‘protection, attention, keeping’

Proto-West Germanic *wardu

Old English weard ‘watching, ward, protection’

Middle English ward

English ward

Every English word from Middle English agaynward

prep Toward; facing; over against.

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