Old English words from Proto-West Germanic
358 Old English words with Proto-West Germanic in their history, whether borrowed directly or passed on through other languages (page 2).
corn
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *korn, from Proto-Germanic *kurną (“corn, grain”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵr̥h₂nóm (“grain”). The noun is shared by all the old Germanic languages: Gothic…
cracian
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *krakōn. Holthausen puts beside it Dutch kraken and Old High German krahhōn, and connects it with ċearcian and ċiercian. Köbler derives it from a Germanic…
cræft
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kraftu, from Proto-Germanic *kraftuz (“strength, force”). Its cognates are Old Norse kraptr, Old Frisian kreft, Old Saxon kraft and Old High German kraft…
cu
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kō (“cow”), from Proto-Germanic *kōz. The other Germanic languages have Old Norse kýr, Old Frisian kū, Old Saxon kō and Old High German kuo. Kroonen…
cuman
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kweman, from Proto-Germanic *kwemaną (“to come”). The strong verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 (qiman), Old Norse koma, Old…
cunnan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną (“to know (how), be able”). It is a preterite-present verb in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽 (kunnan)…
cwic
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kwiku, from Proto-Germanic *kwikwaz (“alive”). The adjective is found in Old Norse kvikr, Old Frisian quik, Old Saxon quik and Old High German quec. In…
cyning
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kuning, from Proto-Germanic *kuningaz (“headman, king”). The same word is Old Norse konungr, Old Frisian kening, Old Saxon kuning and Old High German…
cynn
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kuni, from Proto-Germanic *kunją (“clan, kin”). The noun is shared by Gothic 𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌹 (kuni, “clan, tribe”), Old Norse kyn, Old Frisian kin, Old Saxon kunni…
dæd
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dādi, from Proto-Germanic *dēdiz (“deed”). The noun is shared by Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌴𐌸𐍃 (gadeþs), Old Norse dáð, Old Frisian dēde, Old Saxon dād and Old High German…
dæg
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dag, from Proto-Germanic *dagaz (“day”). The noun is common to the Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍃 (dags), Old Norse dagr, Old Frisian dei, Old Saxon dag…
dæl
1. The noun “part” is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *daili, from Proto-Germanic *dailiz (“part, share”). The same noun is found in Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃 (dails, “part, portion, share”), Old Frisian dēl…
dead
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *daud (“dead”), from Proto-Germanic *daudaz. The adjective is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐌸𐍃 (dauþs), Old Norse dauðr, Old Frisian dād, Old Saxon dōd and Old…
deop
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *deup, from Proto-Germanic *deupaz (“deep”). The adjective is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐍃 (diups), Old Norse djúpr, Old Frisian…
deor
1. The word for the wild animal is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *deuʀ, from Proto-Germanic *deuzą (“wild animal”). The noun is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍃 (dius), Old…
dic
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dīk, from Proto-Germanic *dīkaz (“dam; ditch”). Its cognates are Old Frisian dīk (“dike”), Old Saxon dīk (“pond”) and Old High German tīh, and with another…
dohtor
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dohter, from Proto-Germanic *duhtēr (“daughter”). The word is shared by all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌰𐍂 (dauhtar), Old Norse dóttir, Old…
don
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dōn, from Proto-Germanic *dōną (“to do, make; to put”). The verb is West Germanic: Old Frisian dwā, Old Saxon dōn, Old Dutch duon and Old High German tuon…
dragan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dragan, from Proto-Germanic *draganą (“to draw, pull, carry”). The strong verb is shared by Gothic 𐌳𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌽 (dragan), Old Norse draga, Old Frisian draga (also…
drifan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *drīban, from Proto-Germanic *drībaną (“to drive”). The strong verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌳𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 (dreiban), Old Norse drífa…
drincan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *drinkan, from Proto-Germanic *drinkaną (“to drink”). The strong verb is attested in every old Germanic language: Gothic 𐌳𐍂𐌹𐌲𐌺𐌰𐌽 (drigkan), Old Norse drekka…
dumb
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dumb, from Proto-Germanic *dumbaz (“dumb, mute”). The adjective is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌳𐌿𐌼𐌱𐍃 (dumbs), Old Norse dumbr, Old…
dwellan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dwalljan, from Proto-Germanic *dwaljaną (“to delay, hinder”). The Proto-Germanic verb is continued in Old Norse dvelja (“to delay, tarry”), Old Saxon…
dyppan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *duppjan, from Proto-Germanic *dupjaną. Holthausen compares Low German düppen, Norwegian Nynorsk dyppa and Old High German tupfen (“to dab, wet”), and…
dysig
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dusīg, from Proto-Germanic *dusigaz (“dazed”). Köbler lists Middle Low German dusich (“dazed, giddy”) and Old High German tusīg (“dull, foolish”) beside it…
eahta
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ahtō, from Proto-Germanic *ahtau (“eight”). The numeral is shared by Gothic 𐌰𐌷𐍄𐌰𐌿 (ahtau), Old Norse átta, Old Frisian achta, Old Saxon ahto and Old High…
eald
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ald, from Proto-Germanic *aldaz (“old, grown up”). The Proto-Germanic adjective is continued by Old Frisian ald, Old Saxon ald and Old High German alt…
eall
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *all, from Proto-Germanic *allaz (“all, whole”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌻𐍃 (alls), Old Norse allr, Old Frisian al, Old Saxon al and Old High German al…
eallswa
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *allswā, a compound of *all (“all”) and *swā (“so”). In Old English it is eall (“all”) used as an intensifying adverb with swā (“so, as”). The same compound…
ealu
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *alu, from Proto-Germanic *alu (“beer, ale”). Kroonen, Orel and Köbler give the Proto-Germanic stem as *aluþ, which the Old English genitive ⟨ealoþ⟩…
earm
1. The word for the arm is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *arm, from Proto-Germanic *armaz (“arm”). The Proto-Germanic noun is continued in Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌼𐍃 (arms), Old Norse armr, Old Frisian erm…
ears
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ars, from Proto-Germanic *arsaz (“arse”). The noun appears as Old Norse ars (also rass), Old Frisian ers, Old Saxon ars and Old High German ars. De Vries…
east
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *austr. Kroonen reconstructs the adverb Proto-Germanic *austera- (“east, eastwards”), continued in Old Norse austr, Old Frisian āster, Old Saxon ōstar and…
ecg
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *aggju, from Proto-Germanic *agjō (“edge, blade”). The same noun is Old Norse egg, Old Frisian edze, Old Saxon eggia and Old High German ecka. Kroonen…
ende
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *andī, from Proto-Germanic *andijaz (“end”). Kroonen calls it a ja-stem found in all the Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌴𐌹𐍃 (andeis), Old Norse endir, Old…
-ere
The suffix is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *-ārī, from Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz. Its West Germanic cognates are Old Frisian -ere, Old Saxon -eri and Old High German -āri. It is usually held to…
etan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *etan, from Proto-Germanic *etaną (“to eat”). The verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (itan), Old Norse eta, Old Frisian ita, Old…
fæder
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fader, from Proto-Germanic *fadēr (“father”), from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr (“father”). The word is common Germanic: Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌳𐌰𐍂 (fadar), Old Norse…
fær
1. The word for sudden danger is inherited from Proto-Germanic *fērō (“danger”). Its cognates are Old Saxon fār (“ambush”), Old High German fāra (“ambush, danger”) and Old Norse fár (“harm, evil…
fæst
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fast, from Proto-Germanic *fastuz (“fixed, firm”). The adjective is found in Old Norse fastr, Old Frisian fest, Old Saxon fast and Old High German festi…
fæþm
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *faþm, from Proto-Germanic *faþmaz (“outstretched arms; embrace; fathom”). The noun is shared by Old Norse faðmr, Old Frisian fethm, Old Saxon fathmos…
faran
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *faran, from Proto-Germanic *faraną (“to go”). The strong verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌽 (faran), Old Norse fara, Old Frisian…
feallan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fallan, from Proto-Germanic *fallaną (“to fall”). The strong verb is shared by Old Norse falla, Old Frisian falla, Old Saxon fallan and Old High German…
fearh
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *farh, from Proto-Germanic *farhaz (“pig, piglet”). Its closest relative is Old High German farah or farh, a neuter noun found only in glosses and the Salic…
fedan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fōdijan, from Proto-Germanic *fōdijaną (“to feed”). The verb is found throughout Germanic: Gothic 𐍆𐍉𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (fōdjan), Old Norse fœða, Old Frisian fēda, Old…
felan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fōlijan (“to feel”). Its cognates are Old Frisian fēla, Old Saxon gifōlian and Old High German fuolen, and the Old High German verb is recorded from about…
feld
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *felþu, from Proto-Germanic *felþuz (“field, plain”). The same noun is found in Old Frisian feld, Old Saxon feld and Old High German feld; Orel explains the…
fell
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fell, from Proto-Germanic *fellą (“skin, hide”). The cognates are Old Norse fell beside fjall, Old Frisian fell, Old Saxon fel and Old High German fel…
feoh
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fehu, from Proto-Germanic *fehu (“cattle”). The noun is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌿 (faihu), Old Norse fé, Old Frisian fiā, Old…
feower
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *feuwar, from Proto-Germanic *fedwōr (“four”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐍆𐌹𐌳𐍅𐍉𐍂 (fidwor), Old Norse fjórir, Old Frisian fiūwer, Old Saxon fiuwar and Old High…
fif
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fimf, from Proto-Germanic *fimf (“five”). The Germanic cognates are Gothic 𐍆𐌹𐌼𐍆 (fimf), Old Norse fimm, Old Frisian fīf, Old Saxon fīf and Old High German…
findan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *finþan, from Proto-Germanic *finþaną (“to find, come upon”). The strong verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍆𐌹𐌽𐌸𐌰𐌽 (finþan, “to come to…
fisc
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fisk, from Proto-Germanic *fiskaz (“fish”). The noun is common Germanic: Gothic 𐍆𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (fisks), Old Norse fiskr, Old Frisian fisk, Old Saxon fisk and Old…
flæsc
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *flaiski, from Proto-Germanic *flaiski (“meat, flesh”). Orel and Köbler set up the Proto-Germanic noun as *flaiskaz and *flaiska-. It is found in the other…
folgian
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *folgēn, from Proto-Germanic *fulgāną (“to follow”). Orel reconstructs it as *fulʒēnan and lists Old Norse fylgja, Old Frisian folgia, Old Saxon folgon and…
ford
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *furdu, from Proto-Germanic *furduz (“ford”). The West Germanic relatives are Old Frisian forda, Old Saxon ford and Old High German furt. Kroonen, Orel and…
forgietan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fragetan, made of the prefix *fra- and the verb *getan (“to get”); within Old English it is the prefix for- with ġietan (“to get, obtain”). The same…
forleosan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fraleusan, from Proto-Germanic *fraleusaną (“to lose”), made of *fra- and *leusaną (“to lose”). The compound is Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌻𐌹𐌿𐍃𐌰𐌽 (fraliusan), Old Frisian…
fot
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fōt, from Proto-Germanic *fōts (“foot”). The noun is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍆𐍉𐍄𐌿𐍃 (fōtus), Old Norse fótr, Old Frisian fōt, Old…
freo
1. The word for “free” is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *friu, a byform of *frī, from Proto-Germanic *frijaz (“free”). The Proto-Germanic adjective survives as Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 (freis), Old Frisian…