Etymology Map
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New

3 stages from Proto-Germanic to English.

Today it means not existing before; recently made

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
niwjaz
Proto-Germanic · ancient
"new"
cognate with Latin 'novus' and Greek 'neos'
2
Stage 2 of 3
nīwe
Old English · 700s-1000s
"new"
Newcastle was named for the 'new castle' built there in 1080
3
Stage 3 of 3
new
English · 1500s
"new"
'news' is a 1400s plural, perhaps modelled on French 'nouvelles'
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Read the full story

New’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: niwjaz meant “new.” Cognate with Latin 'novus' and Greek 'neos'. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as nīwe. Newcastle was named for the 'new castle' built there in 1080. It reached English by 1500s as new. 'news' is a 1400s plural, perhaps modelled on French 'nouvelles'. Today, new means not existing before; recently made.