Etymology Map
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God

3 stages from Proto-Germanic to English.

Today it means a deity; in Christianity and other faiths, the creator

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
gudą
Proto-Germanic · ancient
"god"
perhaps 'the invoked one'; neuter in early Germanic, used for pagan gods
2
Stage 2 of 3
god
Old English · 700s-1000s
"God, god"
became masculine and was used for the Christian God after Augustine's mission of 597
3
Stage 3 of 3
god
English · 1500s
"god"
'gospel' is Old English 'gōdspel', good news
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God’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: gudą meant “god.” Perhaps 'the invoked one'; neuter in early Germanic, used for pagan gods. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as god. Became masculine and was used for the Christian God after Augustine's mission of 597. It reached English by 1500s as god. 'gospel' is Old English 'gōdspel', good news. Today, god means a deity; in Christianity and other faiths, the creator.