English
wend
Wend comes from Middle English wenden ‘to travel’, from Old English wendan ‘to turn, change, translate’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wendʰ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wendʰ-‘to turn, wind, braid’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*windaną‘to wind’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wandijaną‘to turn’reconstructedcausative of *windaną
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wandijan‘to turn’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wendan‘to turn, change, translate’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wenden‘to travel’
- Englishearliest quotation 1557wend
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wendʰ-‘to turn, wind, braid’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*windaną‘to wind’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wandijaną‘to turn’reconstructedcausative of *windaną
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wandijan‘to turn’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wendan‘to turn, change, translate’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500wenden‘to travel’
- Englishearliest quotation 1557wend
Earliest quotation: 1557, Virgil, The Fowrth Boke of Virgiles Aenæis: “And ſtill her thought that ſhe was left alone…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wendʰ- ‘to turn, wind, braid’
through Proto-Germanic *windaną ‘to wind’
Today it means
verb To direct (one's way or course); pursue one's way; proceed upon some course or way.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wendʰ- / wend