English
wyrm
Wyrm comes from Old English wyrm ‘worm’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wr̥mis‘worm’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wurmiz‘worm, serpent, snake’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wurmi‘worm’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wyrm‘worm’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wr̥mis‘worm’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wurmiz‘worm, serpent, snake’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*wurmi‘worm’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150wyrm‘worm’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to turn, to bend’
wear, guard, ward, regard, con, garage, warn, beware, garrison, verge, optic, ware, weir, panorama, reverence, revere, wry, prosaic, guaranty, diorama, milliner, 67 more
through Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis ‘worm’
vermin, vermilion, vermicelli, varmint, vermiculite, vermeil, 13 more
through Proto-West Germanic *wurmi ‘worm’
Today it means
noun A huge limbless and wingless dragon or dragonlike creature.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis / wyrm