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Where does the word "year" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic jērą, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).
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Where does the word "year" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic jērą, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).
Year’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: jērą meant “season, year.” First meant a season, especially harvest time; related to Greek 'hōra', season, hour. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as gēar. Written with 'g' but pronounced with a 'y' sound. It reached English by 1500s as year. German 'Jahr' and Dutch 'jaar' are its cousins. Today, year means the time the Earth takes to orbit the sun.
- Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient jērą "season, year", first meant a season, especially harvest time; related to Greek 'hōra', season, hour.
- Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s gēar "year", written with 'g' but pronounced with a 'y' sound.
- Stage 3 · English · 1500s year "year", German 'Jahr' and Dutch 'jaar' are its cousins.