earth

Where does the word "earth" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic erþō, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Earth’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: erþō meant “ground.” German 'Erde' and Dutch 'aarde' are cousins; it has no clear relatives outside Germanic. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as eorþe. Meant soil and dry land, as opposed to sky and sea. It reached English by 1500s as earth. Used as the name of the planet from about 1400. Today, earth means the planet we live on; soil.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient erþō "ground", German 'Erde' and Dutch 'aarde' are cousins; it has no clear relatives outside Germanic.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s eorþe "ground, land", meant soil and dry land, as opposed to sky and sea.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s earth "the planet; soil", used as the name of the planet from about 1400.