Etymograph

English

water

Water comes from Old English wæter ‘water’, from Proto-Germanic *watōr, from Proto-Indo-European *wédōr, the collective of *wódr̥ ‘water’, and ultimately from *wed- ‘water; to well’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-‘water; to well’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wódr̥‘water’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wédōrreconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*watōr‘water’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*watar‘water’reconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150wæter‘water’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500water‘water’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1526same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-‘water; to well’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wódr̥‘water’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wédōrreconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*watōr‘water’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*watar‘water’reconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150wæter‘water’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500water‘water’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1526same form

Earliest quotation: 1526, [William Tyndale, The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible): “And as they went on their waye they cam…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *wed-

wet, wash, und, abundance, surround, abundant, redundant, vitriol, otter, vitreous, anhydrous, undine, inundate, 43 more

through Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥

vodka, hydro, hydrate, hydride, aldehyde, vedra, 19 more

Another origin of water

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wódr̥reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*watōrreconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*watrōnąreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150wæterian‘to water, supply water to, give drink to’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wateren
  7. Englishtodaywater

Today it means

noun An inorganic compound (of molecular formula H₂O) found at room temperature and pressure as a clear liquid; it is present naturally as rain, and found in rivers, lakes and seas; its solid form is ice and its gaseous form is steam.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wed- / water

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