Old English words from Proto-West Germanic
444 Old English words with Proto-West Germanic in their history, whether borrowed directly or passed on through other languages (page 3).
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…
fneosan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fneusan, from Proto-Germanic *fneusaną (“to sneeze”). Orel lists Old Norse fnýsa (“to sneeze”), Middle Dutch fniesen and Middle High German pfnūsen as…
folc
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *folk, from Proto-Germanic *fulką (“troop, people”). The noun is common to the northern and western Germanic languages: Old Norse fólk (“crowd, army”), Old…
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…
freond
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *friund, from Proto-Germanic *frijōndz (“friend, loved one”), in origin the present participle of *frijōną (“to love”). The word is common Germanic: Gothic…
ful
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fūl (“foul, dirty”), from Proto-Germanic *fūlaz. The adjective is found across Germanic: Gothic 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐍃 (fūls, “foul, putrid”), Old Norse fúll, Old Frisian fūl…
full
1. It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *full, from Proto-Germanic *fullaz (“full”). The adjective is shared by Gothic 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐍃 (fulls), Old Norse fullr, Old Frisian ful, Old Saxon ful and Old High…
fyllan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fullijan, from Proto-Germanic *fulljaną (“to fill”), a verb made to the adjective Proto-Germanic *fullaz (“full”). The same verb is Gothic 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽…
fyr
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fuir, from Proto-Germanic *fōr (“fire”). The noun is shared by Old Norse fýrr, Old Frisian fiūr, Old Saxon fiur, Old Dutch fuir and Old High German fiur…
gamen
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gaman, from Proto-Germanic *gamaną. The noun is common to the old Germanic languages: Old Norse gaman (“game, sport, amusement”), Old Frisian game or gome…
gan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną (“to go”). Ringe and Taylor reconstruct its Proto-West Germanic present with a third person singular *gaiþ and an imperative…
ge-
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Germanic *ga-. The prefix is common to the Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌲𐌰- (ga-), Old Frisian je-, Old Saxon gi- and Old High German ga-…
gear
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *jār, from Proto-Germanic *jērą (“year”). The noun is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌾𐌴𐍂 (jēr), Old Norse ár, Old Frisian jēr, Old Saxon jār and Old High German…
geard
1. The noun “enclosure” is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gard, from Proto-Germanic *gardaz (“courtyard, enclosure”). It has cognates in Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌳𐍃 (gards, “house, household, courtyard”), Old…
gecynd
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gakundi. The prefix ġe- is added to cynd "nature, kind", which is also used alone. The only close cognate is Old High German gikunt (“nature”). The Old High…
gelic
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *galīk, from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz (“alike, similar”), a compound of *ga- and *-līkaz. The adjective is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃 (galeiks), Old…
geoguþ
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *jugunþi (“youth”), from Proto-Germanic *jugunþiz. Its cognates are Old Frisian jogethe, Old Saxon juguth, Old Dutch iuginde and Old High German jugund. Orel…
geong
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *jung, from Proto-Germanic *jungaz (“young”). The adjective is shared by all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌾𐌿𐌲𐌲𐍃 (juggs), Old Norse ungr, Old Frisian…
gerecenian
It is formed from Old English ġe- + recenian. The simple verb is from Proto-West Germanic *rekanōn (“to count, to explain”), made with the suffix *-ōn from Proto-West Germanic *rekan (“right…
giefan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *geban, from Proto-Germanic *gebaną (“to give”). The strong verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌲𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 (giban), Old Norse gefa, Old…
gieldan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *geldan, from Proto-Germanic *geldaną (“to pay, be worth something”). The Proto-Germanic strong verb survives in Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌻𐌳𐌰𐌽 (fragildan, “to repay…
gif
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *jabē (also *jabu), from Proto-Germanic *jabai (“when, if”). Wiktionary explains the Proto-Germanic conjunction as the dative of *jabą (“condition, doubt”)…
glidan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *glīdan, from Proto-Germanic *glīdaną (“to glide, slide”). The strong verb is West Germanic: Old Frisian glīda, Old Saxon glīdan (“to slip”) and Old High…
gor
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gor, from Proto-Germanic *gurą (“half-digested stomach contents; dung”). Its relatives are Old High German gor (“dung, dirt”), Old Norse gor (“half-digested…
grædig
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *grādag, from Proto-Germanic *grēdagaz (“hungry, greedy”), an adjective made to the noun Proto-Germanic *grēduz (“hunger, desire”), which survives in grǣd…
græg
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *grāg, a by-form of *grāu, from Proto-Germanic *grēwaz (“grey”). The form without ⟨g⟩ is the separate adjective grǣw. The Germanic adjective survives as Old…
græs
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gras (“grass”), from Proto-Germanic *grasą (“plant, grass”). The noun is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌰𐍃 (gras), Old Norse gras, Old…
grafan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *graban (“to dig, scrape”), from Proto-Germanic *grabaną (“to dig”). The Proto-Germanic strong verb is continued by Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌽 (graban), Old Norse grafa…
grene
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *grōnī, from Proto-Germanic *grōniz (“green”). Its cognates are Old Frisian grēne, Old Saxon grōni, Old High German gruoni and Old Norse grœnn. Kroonen…
gretan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *grōtijan (“to address, to greet”), from Proto-Germanic *grōtijaną (“to cause to weep”), the causative of *grētaną (“to weep”). The causative is kept in Old…
grindan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *grindan, from Proto-Germanic *grindaną (“to grind”). Kroonen lists the strong verb from Old English alone among the old Germanic languages, and sets beside…
gripan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *grīpan, from Proto-Germanic *grīpaną (“to grab, grasp”). The strong verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍀𐌰𐌽 (greipan), Old Norse…
growan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *grōan, from Proto-Germanic *grōaną (“to grow, become green”). The strong verb is shared with Old Norse gróa (“to grow, become green”) and Old Frisian grōwa…
grund
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *grundu, from Proto-Germanic *grunduz (“ground, foundation”). The Proto-Germanic noun is also the source of Old Frisian grund, Old Saxon grund, Old High…
habban
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *habbjan, from Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to have, to hold”). Kroonen, Orel and Köbler set up the Proto-Germanic verb as *habēn, continued by Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌽…
hælan
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hailijan, from Proto-Germanic *hailijaną (“to make whole, heal”), a verb made with the suffix *-janą to the adjective *hailaz (“whole, healthy”), the source…
hær
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hār, from Proto-Germanic *hērą (“hair”). The same noun is Old Norse hár, Old Frisian hēr, Old Saxon hār and Old High German hār. Kroonen notes that it is…
hærfest
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *harbist, from Proto-Germanic *harbistaz (“autumn”). Its cognates are Old Norse haustr, Old Frisian herfst and Old High German herbist, with Dutch herfst and…
hal
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hail, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“whole, sound”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃 (hails), Old Norse heill, Old Frisian hēl, Old Saxon hēl and Old High…
halig
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hailag, from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz (“holy”), an adjective made from *hailaz (“whole, healthy”) with the suffix *-gaz; in Old English terms it is hāl…
ham
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *haim, from Proto-Germanic *haimaz (“home, village”). The noun is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌼𐍃 (haims, “village”) (a feminine), Old Norse heimr (“home…
hamor
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hamar, from Proto-Germanic *hamaraz (“hammer”). The noun is shared with Old Frisian homer, Old Saxon hamar, Old High German hamar and Old Norse hamarr…
hand
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *handu, from Proto-Germanic *handuz (“hand”), a feminine u-stem. The word is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌿𐍃 (handus), Old Norse hǫnd…
handlian
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *handulōn, from Proto-Germanic *handulōną (“to take or hold in the hand”), made from *handuz (“hand”) with the frequentative suffix *-lōną. Within Old…
har
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hair, from Proto-Germanic *hairaz (“grey-haired, old”). The adjective survives as Old Norse hárr (“grey”), while Old Saxon hēr and Old High German hēr mean…
hat
1. The word for “hot” is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hait, from Proto-Germanic *haitaz (“hot”). The adjective is found in Old Norse heitr, Old Frisian hēt, Old Saxon hēt and Old High German…
hatian
1. The verb for hating is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hatēn, from Proto-Germanic *hatāną (“to hate”). Ringe and Taylor trace it to a Proto-Germanic weak verb of the third class, continued as…
he
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *hiz (“this”). The Proto-Germanic pronoun, “this”, is barely attested elsewhere: Gothic keeps it in fixed phrases, Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌼𐌰…
heafod
It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *haubud, from Proto-Germanic *haubudą (“head”). The noun is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌹𐌸 (haubiþ), Old Norse hǫfuð, Old Frisian hāved, Old Saxon hōƀid and…