English
untie
Untie comes from Old English untīeġan ‘to untie’, from tīeġan ‘to tie’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- ‘to pull, lead’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dewk-‘to pull, lead’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*teuhaną‘to lead’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*taugijaną‘to stretch, draw’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*taugijanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150tīeġan‘to tie’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150untīeġanas untīġan‘to untie’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500untien
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1606–1607untie
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dewk-‘to pull, lead’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*teuhaną‘to lead’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*taugijaną‘to stretch, draw’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*taugijanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150tīeġan‘to tie’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150untīeġanas untīġan‘to untie’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500untien
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1606–1607untie
Earliest quotation: c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra: “Haſt thou the pretty vvorme of Nylus [an asp]…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dewk- ‘to pull, lead’
education, production, product, touch, produce, reduce, conduct, duke, toy, introduction, reduction, introduce, educate, duchess, tow, tying, dolphin, duct, induce, educator, tuck, tug, conn, douche, tighten, conducive, seduce, subdue, duchy, doge, herzog, tether, taut, transducer, duc, redux, cond, duce, redoubt, ducal, 123 more
through Proto-Germanic *teuhaną ‘to lead’
through Proto-Germanic *taugijaną ‘to stretch, draw’
through Proto-West Germanic *taugijan
Today it means
verb To loosen, as something interlaced or knotted; to disengage the parts of.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dewk- / untie