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Where does the word "anger" come from? It comes from Old Norse angr, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
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Where does the word "anger" come from? It comes from Old Norse angr, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
Anger’s story begins in Old Norse: angr meant “grief, distress.” Grief, trouble, distress. It reached English by 1200s as anger. Narrowed from general distress to specifically strong displeasure. Today, anger means a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval angr "grief, distress", grief, trouble, distress.
- Stage 2 · English · 1200s anger "strong displeasure or hostility", narrowed from general distress to specifically strong displeasure.