English
weir
Weir comes from Old English werian ‘to dam up’, from Proto-West Germanic *warjan ‘to ward off, to defend against’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to cover’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to cover’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*warjaną‘to ward off, to defend against’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*warjan‘to ward off, to defend against’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150werian‘to dam up’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150wer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500were
- Englishearliest quotation 1879weir
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wer-‘to cover’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*warjaną‘to ward off, to defend against’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*warjan‘to ward off, to defend against’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150werian‘to dam up’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150wer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500were
- Englishearliest quotation 1879weir
Earliest quotation: 1879, Annual Report of the Inspectors of Salmo: “The Taff is naturally a good salmon river, the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to cover’
guard, ward, regard, con, warn, worm, beware, verge, optic, ware, panorama, reverence, revere, vermin, wry, vermilion, prosaic, diorama, milliner, varmint, vermicelli, vermiculite, vermeil, 68 more
through Proto-Germanic *warjaną ‘to ward off, to defend against’
through Proto-West Germanic *warjan ‘to ward off, to defend against’
through Old English werian ‘to dam up’
through Old English wer
through Middle English were
Today it means
noun An adjustable dam placed across a river to regulate the flow of water downstream.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wer- / weir