wachsen

wachsen¹ to grow

Pronunciation

• /ˈvaksn̩/, /ˈvaksən/^[1]

Forms

wachsen (class 6 strong, third-person singular present wächst, past tense wuchs, past participle gewachsen, past subjunctive wüchse, auxiliary sein)^[1] The assimilated form wassen prevails in Low German and is widespread in Central Franconian, Rhine Franconian and parts of Upper German; it is found sporadically in Old High German and is not rare in Middle High German.^[2][3]

Etymology

The verb meaning “to grow” is inherited from Middle High German wahsen, inherited from Old High German wahsan, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *wahsan, inherited from Proto-Germanic *wahsijaną (“to grow”).^[4][1] The same verb is Old Saxon wahsan, Old Norse vaxa, Old English weaxan (now English wax “to grow”) and Old Frisian waxa.^[4][5] Kluge reconstructs a strong verb with a plain present and considers that Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌷𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (wahsjan), with a j-present, may show the older stem.^[4]

It continues Proto-Indo-European *h₂weks- (“to grow”),^[1] found on the same ablaut grade in Ancient Greek ἀέξω (aéxō, “I increase, make grow”) and Sanskrit वक्षयति (vakṣáyati, “makes grow”),^[4][6] and in the zero grade in αὐξάνω (auxánō, “I increase”), Latin auxilium (“help”), Lithuanian áukštas (“high”) and Tocharian B auk- (“to increase”).^[4] It is an extension of the root of augeō (“to increase”) and Gothic 𐌰𐌿𐌺𐌰𐌽 (aukan, “to increase”), to which auch and Wucher also belong.^[6][7][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old High German wahsan is recorded from about 765 in glosses, then in the Tatian, Otfrid, Notker and Williram.^[8][9] It meant “to grow, grow up, increase, become powerful, thrive”, and also “to be of use” and “to be descended from”.^[9][8]

Semantic evolution

The verb was used first and above all of plants, then of animals and people, and in the medieval view also of minerals and ores, hence Schiller's wo das Eisen wächst in der Berge Schacht and Arndt's Der Gott, der Eisen wachsen ließ.^[10] From “to become larger” it passed to “to increase in size, number or strength”, of the moon, of water, and of power, wealth or a town.^[10] Figurative phrases are jemandem über den Kopf wachsen “to become too much for someone”, jemandem ans Herz gewachsen sein “to be dear to someone” and einer Sache gewachsen sein “to be equal to something”.^[10][11]

Wachstum is found occasionally in the 14th century and became usual in the middle of the 17th; since the 1970s Wachstum der Wirtschaft has also been used critically.^[10] Zuwachs dates from the end of the 16th century and Nachwuchs from the first half of the 19th.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 765 – Old High German wahsan in glosses.^[8]
• Middle High German – wassen is common in Central Franconian and Thuringian.^[2]
• 14th century – First records of Wachstum.^[10]
• Late 16th century – Zuwachs is recorded.^[6]
• Mid-17th century – Wachstum becomes usual.^[10]
• First half of the 19th century – Nachwuchs is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To grow as a living thing, become bigger or longer: Das Kind ist im Sommer viel gewachsen. Er lässt sich die Haare wachsen.^[11][1]
2. To grow somewhere, thrive: Am Waldrand wachsen Himbeeren.^[11]
3. To grow in a certain way: Die Tanne ist schief gewachsen.^[11]
4. To increase in size, number or amount: Die Bevölkerung der Stadt wächst schnell.^[11][1]
5. einer Sache gewachsen sein: to be equal to, able to cope with something.^[10][11]

Word family

• Wachstum
• Gewächs
• Wuchs
• erwachsen
• Zuwachs
• Nachwuchs
• aufwachsen
• heranwachsen
• anwachsen
• verwachsen
• auswachsen
• entwachsen

wachsen² to wax

Forms

wachsen (third-person singular present wachst, past tense wachste, past participle gewachst, auxiliary haben)^[1]

Etymology

The verb meaning “to wax” is formed from Wachs (“wax”).^[6][12][5] Old High German had wahsen (“to wax”) (10th century), which became wächsen in the 15th century;^[5] Duden adds that this verb, now only regional, was displaced from the 18th century by its variant wichsen, and dates the form without umlaut to the 15th century,^[6] while Pfeifer regards it as recent, made after the noun.^[5]

The noun is Old High German wahs (9th century), from Proto-Germanic *wahsą (“wax”), the same word as Old Saxon wahs, Old Norse vax and Old English weax (now English wax).^[4][5] Outside Germanic Lithuanian vãškas and Old Church Slavonic воскъ (voskŭ) point to Proto-Indo-European *wokso- (“wax”).^[4][5] Pfeifer and Duden derive it from the root Proto-Indo-European *weg- (“to weave”), the wax being “the bees' web”,^[5][6] while Kluge finds a link with a word for “to flow, melt” semantically more likely.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old High German wahsen is recorded in the 10th century, and the modern verb in the 15th century, meaning “to smear with wax, smooth and polish”.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

The umlauted wächsen gave way from the 18th century to its variant wichsen, and the sense “to smooth with wax” is now attached only to wachsen.^[6] Pfeifer explains the modern form without umlaut by the influence of the noun.^[5]

Timeline

• 10th century – Old High German wahsen “to wax”.^[5]
• 15th century – wächsen and wachsen.^[5][6]
• 18th century – wichsen displaces wächsen.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To wax, to treat with wax: die Skier vor dem Rennen wachsen.^[1][12][5]