wheat

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

Wheat’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: hwaitijaz meant “wheat.” From the root of 'white', for its pale flour. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as hwǣte. German 'Weizen' is a cousin. It reached English by 1500s as wheat. 'buckwheat' half-translates Dutch 'boekweit', beech-wheat, for its beechnut-shaped seeds. Today, wheat means a cereal grain ground to make flour.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient hwaitijaz "wheat", from the root of 'white', for its pale flour.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s hwǣte "wheat", German 'Weizen' is a cousin.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s wheat "wheat", 'buckwheat' half-translates Dutch 'boekweit', beech-wheat, for its beechnut-shaped seeds.