English
reward
Reward comes from Old French reward, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to burn’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to burn’root as named · steps between not traced
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400reward
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2007same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to burn’root as named · steps between not traced
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400reward
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2007same form
Earliest quotation: 2007, No Country for Old Men by Joel and Ethen: “Your daddy ever tell you how Uncle Mac come…”
The story
Mostly displaced Old English mēd, whence Modern English meed.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to burn’
wear, con, guard, garage, worm, verge, optic, regard, weir, garrison, warn, panorama, reverence, vermin, warden, wry, malware, revere, vermilion, beware, ware, prosaic, diorama, guaranty, milliner, vermicelli, vermeil, vermiculite, varmint, 66 more
Another origin of reward
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to cover, shelter, defend, guard, shut’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wardōną‘to guard, defend’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*wardōn‘to guard, keep’reconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400rewarder‘to reward’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500rewarden
- Englishtodayreward
In this sense, displaced Old English ġieldan, whence Modern English yield.
Today it means
noun Something of value given in return for an act.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wer- / reward