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Where does the word "sorrow" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic surgō, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).
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Where does the word "sorrow" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic surgō, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).
Sorrow’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: surgō meant “care, grief.” German 'Sorge', care or worry, is a cousin. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as sorg. One of the commonest words in Old English elegies. It reached English by 1500s as sorrow. Not related to 'sorry', which comes from 'sore'. Today, sorrow means deep distress or sadness.
- Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient surgō "care, grief", German 'Sorge', care or worry, is a cousin.
- Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s sorg "grief, care", one of the commonest words in Old English elegies.
- Stage 3 · English · 1500s sorrow "sadness", not related to 'sorry', which comes from 'sore'.