English
werewolf
Werewolf comes from Proto-West Germanic *werawulf ‘wolf-man, werewolf’, and goes back to *wer.
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wernamed in the etymology · steps between not traced
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*werawulf‘wolf-man, werewolf’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150werewulf
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500werwolf
- Englishtodaywerewolf
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wernamed in the etymology · steps between not traced
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*werawulf‘wolf-man, werewolf’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150werewulf
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500werwolf
- Englishtodaywerewolf
A compound of *wer ‘man’ + *wulf ‘wolf’
Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- ‘to hunt’
Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós ‘man, hero’
Proto-Germanic *weraz ‘man’
Proto-West Germanic *wer ‘man’
Proto-Indo-European *wĺ̥kʷos ‘wolf’
Proto-Germanic *wulfaz ‘wolf’
Proto-West Germanic *wulf ‘wolf’
Every English word from Proto-West Germanic *wer
Today it means
noun A person who is transformed or can transform into a wolf or a wolflike human, often said to do so during a full moon.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *wer / werewolf