weaving
/ˈwiːvɪŋ/
noun
Origin
Old English
wefan — to weave
Overview
Meaning Now
- The craft or action of forming fabric by interlacing threads or yarns.
- The process of combining various elements or ideas into a complex whole.
Literal older meaning
the act of interlacing threads
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
wefan
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
Weaving is one of the oldest surviving crafts in human history, dating back to the Neolithic period. The term is etymologically related to words for 'web' and 'wobble', reflecting the back-and-forth motion of the loom shuttle.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*webh-
“to weave, move quickly”
- Proto-Germanic
*webaną
“to weave”
- Old English
wefan
“to weave, weave together”
- Middle English
wevinge
“the act of weaving”
Added gerund suffix -ing
Connections
Word parts
weave
root
to interlace threads
-ing
suffix
forming a gerund or present participle
Related across languages
German
weben
to weave
Dutch
weven
to weave
Explore next
Related to weaving
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.