wood

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

Wood’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: widuz meant “tree, wood.” Related to Irish 'fid', tree. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as wudu. Meant both a forest and timber; place names like Woodstock and Wootton record woodland settlements. It reached English by 1500s as wood. 'knock on wood' is recorded from the early 1900s. Today, wood means the hard material of trees; an area of trees.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient widuz "tree, wood", related to Irish 'fid', tree.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s wudu "forest, timber", meant both a forest and timber; place names like Woodstock and Wootton record woodland settlements.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s wood "wood", 'knock on wood' is recorded from the early 1900s.