English
wed
Wed comes from Middle English wedden ‘to marry’, from Old English weddian ‘to pledge’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wedʰ-‘to pledge’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wadją‘pledge’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wadjōną‘to pledge’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*waddjōn‘to wager, to pledge’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150weddian‘to pledge’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wedden‘to marry’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1595wed
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wedʰ-‘to pledge’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wadją‘pledge’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wadjōną‘to pledge’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*waddjōn‘to wager, to pledge’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150weddian‘to pledge’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wedden‘to marry’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1595wed
Earliest quotation: c. 1591–1595, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet: “Affliction is enamoured of thy parts, and thou art…”
The story
Related also to gage, engage, and wage.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ- ‘to pledge’
engagement, weed, bahu, 7 more
through Proto-Germanic *wadją ‘pledge’
wage, engage, gage, wedlock, 3 more
through Old English weddian ‘to pledge’
Today it means
verb To perform the marriage ceremony for; to join in matrimony.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ- / wed