water
/ˈwɔːtər/
noun
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*wódr̥ — water
Overview
Meaning Now
- A colorless, transparent, odorless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain, and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms.
- A body of water, such as a sea, lake, or river.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
wæter
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word traces back to the pervasive PIE root *wed-, which also gives rise to words like 'wet' and 'wash'. It reflects the fundamental importance of water in early Indo-European cultures.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*wódr̥
“water”
- Proto-Germanic
*watōr
“water”
- Old English
wæter
“water”
- Middle English
water
“water”
Connections
Word parts
water
root
liquid substance essential for life
Related across languages
German
Wasser
water
Old Church Slavonic
voda
water
Greek
hydōr
water
Related words
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Related to water
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.