watch
/wɒtʃ/
verb
Origin
Old English
wæccan — to be awake, watch
Overview
Meaning Now
- To observe something or someone over a period of time, especially with attention.
- To stay awake, typically during the night, to keep guard or look after someone or something.
Literal older meaning
to be awake or vigilant
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
wæccan
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The term originated from the Proto-Germanic root relating to being awake. By the late 16th century, the noun 'watch' began to be applied to portable timepieces, which were originally called 'pocket watches' because they were carried by night watchmen to track their shifts.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*wakjaną
“to wake, be awake”
- Old English
wæccan
“to keep watch, remain awake”
- Middle English
wacchen
“to stay awake, guard”
- Early Modern English
watch
“to observe, wait, guard”
Connections
Word parts
watch
root
to be awake or vigilant
Related across languages
German
wachen
to be awake
Old Norse
vaka
to be awake
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.