water

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

Water’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: watōr meant “water.” Shares an ancient root with Greek 'hydōr' and Russian 'voda'. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as wæter. 'wet' and 'otter', the water animal, come from the same root. It reached English by 1500s as water. 'whisky', Gaelic 'water of life', and 'vodka', Russian 'little water', come from related roots. Today, water means the clear liquid that forms seas, lakes and rain.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient watōr "water", shares an ancient root with Greek 'hydōr' and Russian 'voda'.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s wæter "water", 'wet' and 'otter', the water animal, come from the same root.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s water "water", 'whisky', Gaelic 'water of life', and 'vodka', Russian 'little water', come from related roots.