English
truce
Truce comes from Middle English true ‘faithfulness, assurance, pact’, from Proto-West Germanic *treuwu ‘fidelity, pledge’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *drewH-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*drewH-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*triwwiz‘trusty, faithful’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*trewwō‘fidelity, pledge’reconstructednoun form of *triwwiz
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*treuwu‘fidelity, pledge’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150trȳw‘faith’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150trēowa
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500true‘faithfulness, assurance, pact’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500trewes
- Englishearliest quotation 1732truce
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*drewH-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*triwwiz‘trusty, faithful’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*trewwō‘fidelity, pledge’reconstructednoun form of *triwwiz
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*treuwu‘fidelity, pledge’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150trȳw‘faith’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150trēowa
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500true‘faithfulness, assurance, pact’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500trewes
- Englishearliest quotation 1732truce
Earliest quotation: 1732, Dr. Cranstoun: “[I]n about ſix VVeeks or tvvo Months, the Dyſentery…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *drewH-
through Proto-Germanic *triwwiz ‘trusty, faithful’
Today it means
noun A period of time in which no fighting takes place due to an agreement between the opposed parties.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *drewH- / truce