wish

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

Wish’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: wunskijaną meant “to wish.” From the ancient root for desire that also gave Latin 'Venus' and English 'win'. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as wȳscan. German 'wünschen' and Dutch 'wensen' are its cousins. It reached English by 1500s as wish. 'wishbone' dates from the 1850s, from pulling a fowl's forked bone to make a wish. Today, wish means to want something to happen.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient wunskijaną "to wish", from the ancient root for desire that also gave Latin 'Venus' and English 'win'.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s wȳscan "to wish", German 'wünschen' and Dutch 'wensen' are its cousins.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s wish "to wish", 'wishbone' dates from the 1850s, from pulling a fowl's forked bone to make a wish.