English
shriver
Shriver comes from Middle English schryvere ‘a confessor’, from Old English sċrīfan ‘to decree, appoint’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kréybʰeti.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kréybʰetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*skreiβō‘to carve’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEscrībāre
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skrībanąreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skrīban‘to write’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sċrīfan‘to decree, appoint’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500schryven‘to hear or make a confession’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500schryvere‘a confessor’
- Englishtodayshriver
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kréybʰetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*skreiβō‘to carve’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEscrībāre
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skrībanąreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skrīban‘to write’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sċrīfan‘to decree, appoint’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500schryven‘to hear or make a confession’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500schryvere‘a confessor’
- Englishtodayshriver
Formed from shrive + -er
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- ‘to scratch, to tear’
…
Proto-Germanic *skrībaną ‘to write’
Proto-West Germanic *skrīban ‘to write’
Old English sċrīfan ‘1. to decree, pass judgement, prescribe’
Middle English schryven ‘to administer absolution or penance for a…’
English shrive
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)kréybʰeti
prescription, scripture, transcript, inscription, conscription, scriptural, ascribe, transcribe, nondescript, conscript, inscribe, descript, 27 more
through Proto-Italic *skreiβō ‘to carve’
description, script, prescribe, scribe, scribble, scrivener, 39 more
through Old English sċrīfan ‘to decree, appoint’
Today it means
noun A person who shrives; a confessor
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)kréybʰeti / shriver