die

Where does the word "die" come from? It comes from Old Norse deyja, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).

Die’s story begins in Old Norse: deyja meant “to die.” Old English mostly used 'steorfan', which narrowed to 'starve'. It reached English by 1200s as die. Replaced the earlier native English word for ceasing to live. Today, die means to stop living, or to cease to exist or function.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval deyja "to die", Old English mostly used 'steorfan', which narrowed to 'starve'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1200s die "to stop living", replaced the earlier native English word for ceasing to live.