English
wet
Wet comes from Middle English wet, the past participle of weten ‘to wet’, from Old English wǣtan, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wed- ‘water’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wētaz‘wet’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wētijaną‘to wet’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wātijan‘to wet’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wǣtan‘to wet’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500weten‘to wet’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500wet‘wet’past participle of weten
- Englishearliest quotation 1671same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wētaz‘wet’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wētijaną‘to wet’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wātijan‘to wet’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wǣtan‘to wet’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500weten‘to wet’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500wet‘wet’past participle of weten
- Englishearliest quotation 1671same form
Earliest quotation: 1671, John Milton, The Fourth Book: “Now the sun, with more effectual beams, / Had…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wed- ‘water, wet’
water, wash, und, abundance, vodka, surround, abundant, hydro, redundant, otter, hydrate, vitriol, hydride, vitreous, aldehyde, vedra, inundate, undine, 44 more
through Middle English weten ‘to wet’
Today it means
adj Made up of liquid or moisture, usually (but not always) water.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wed- / wet