English
garrison
Garrison comes from Old French garison ‘defence’, from guarir ‘to protect’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to burn’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to burn’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*warjaną‘to ward off, to defend against’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*warjan‘to ward off’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*warjanreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400guarir‘to protect’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400garison‘defence’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500garisoun‘Security, safety’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588garrison
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to burn’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*warjaną‘to ward off, to defend against’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*warjan‘to ward off’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*warjanreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400guarir‘to protect’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400garison‘defence’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500garisoun‘Security, safety’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588garrison
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “My Lord the great Commander of the worlde, […]…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to burn’
guard, reward, ward, con, regard, warn, worm, verge, optic, beware, panorama, ware, reverence, revere, vermin, wry, prosaic, vermilion, diorama, milliner, vermicelli, vermeil, vermiculite, varmint, 67 more
through Proto-West Germanic *warjan ‘to ward off’
through Frankish *warjan
Today it means
noun A permanent military post.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wer- / garrison