Etymograph

English

warden

Warden comes from Anglo-Norman wardein, from Old French guarder ‘to guard’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to heed’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to heed’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wor-túsreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*warduz‘a guard’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wardāną‘to guard, protect, watch over’reconstructed
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400guarder‘to guard’
  6. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400wardein
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a warden’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1819warden

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to heed’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wor-túsreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*warduz‘a guard’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wardāną‘to guard, protect, watch over’reconstructed
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400guarder‘to guard’
  6. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400wardein
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a warden’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1819warden

Earliest quotation: 1819, Walter Scott: “He called to the wardens on the outside battlements.”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to heed’

wear, con, garage, worm, verge, optic, reward, weir, garrison, warn, panorama, beware, revere, malware, vermin, ware, wry, vermilion, prosaic, diorama, guaranty, milliner, vermicelli, vermeil, vermiculite, varmint, 67 more

through Old French guarder ‘to guard’

guard, regard, 1 more

Another origin of warden

  1. Frankishc. 250–700*wardōn‘to guard, protect’uncertain
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEwardo‘to guard’uncertain
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wardonuncertain
  4. Englishtodaywarden

Today it means

noun A guard or watchman.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wer- / warden

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